Coincidence
by seethebrighterlights
Summary: Kurt takes his daughter Stephanie to the park one day, coincidentally the same day a certain someone takes his daughter Rachael. Can coincidences be defined as fate? Daddy!Klaine. [Complete]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! This is my first ever fanfic. Initially it was going to be a one-shot but I have posted it other places and people BEGGED me to post it here and continue it, and I simply couldn't say no! I hope you all enjoy this, I've worked pretty hard on it. Reviews/criticism/ideas are absolutely LOVED and encouraged! Nothing about this fic is set in stone, so any ideas you may have are greatly appreciated! Oh and by the way this is un-beta'd so there may be some mistakes. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you, Coincidence.**

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_Chapter One__:__Saturday, October 12__th__, 2024_

"Hey mister will you push me too?"

_I thought I told that girl a million times not to talk to strangers_ Kurt thought with a sigh. His piercing glasz eyes glanced up from the Vogue magazine he was reading, and sure enough, there was his daughter Stephanie sitting on a swing set and giving a complete stranger her best puppy dog eyes. Her tiny bottom lip was poking out and even trembling slightly. Kurt had grown immune to such adorableness, but no stranger stood a chance.

"Why yes of course, sweetheart," the stranger said with a chuckle as he gave his daughter a final push and stepped aside to push Stephanie too. Kurt's breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. The man was drop dead _gorgeous._ The first thing he noticed was his eyes; it was as if hazel and gold were at war. One second the sunlight would hit them in a certain way and they'd look like pure gold, but the next second hazel would take over. His eyes were surrounded by long luscious dark lashes that would make any girl, or guy in Kurt's situation, swoon. His hair was dark and adorably curly, and his skin was the perfect tan. His tight fitting black tee showed that he had a lean muscular build, and Kurt could only stare at the way his arm muscles flexed when he'd push Stephanie or his daughter. Realizing he was basically on the verge of salivating, Kurt quickly burrowed his nose in his magazine as his porcelain cheeks flashed pink. _Easy there Hummel, a sex god like that probably doesn't even play for your team. Plus he has a daughter, and she has his eyes. His amazing gorgeous eyes…no! Focus! That's not a common eye color, so she must be his biological daughter, which means he must have a girlfriend, or even worse, a wife. _He felt a dull ache in his chest at the thought. With a frustrated groan, Kurt shook his head and became engrossed in an article about Lady GaGa's latest fashion phenomenon.

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"DADDYYYY!" Kurt was up in less than a millisecond. He could pick that cry out of any crowd. He sprinted across the now deserted playground to where his daughter was sitting on the ground clutching her elbow and wailing for him. When he got to her the man from earlier was already kneeling beside her, stroking her hair and trying to console her.

"Sh, honey, it's alright, Daddy's here, Daddy's got you," Kurt murmured as he scooped her up in his arms and began to gently rock her. Her wails instantly reduced to tiny whimpers as he buried his face in her long dark hair.

"I'm so sorry I swear to God I have no idea what happened," the beautiful stranger beside him blurted out. Kurt looked up in confusion, he had forgotten the man's presence, but the stranger continued to ramble as if Kurt were glaring at him. "She was fine one second, telling me all about her life and stuff, mostly you, and then I turned to Rachael for literally two seconds and then this! I swear I didn't push her or anything I would never do that ever your daughter is wonderful and-"

"Is Rachael your girlfriend?" Kurt suddenly asked as he glanced around to see if he could spot the woman, but no one was around. He realized what he had asked and mentally slapped himself for being so blunt.

"What? No," the man responded as his triangular eyebrows furrowed in the most adorable way. "Rachael is my daughter. My girlfriend left me ages ago, since apparently being gay isn't exactly a good thing when you have a girlfriend." He chuckled humorlessly at the memory, but his expression instantly changed to one of surprise. "Wait, why did I just tell you that? I don't even know you. I'm sorry I ramble when I'm nervous. Oh wow I haven't even introduced myself yet! I'm Blaine. Anyways, about Stephanie, I swear-"

"Blaine! Slow down! It's alright I know you didn't push her," Kurt stated with a laugh. This guy was too perfect already. Not only was he immensely attractive, adorable, and also slightly awkward, but he was _gay_ too. It was almost too good to be true. "She loves jumping off of swings; even though I've told her a million times it's too dangerous." He glared down at his daughter as he said this, but his expression immediately softened as he noticed her staring at her bloodied knee. "Does it hurt, sweetheart?" She looked up at him with tears still swimming in her glasz eyes as she slowly nodded.

"Oh! Wait! I have some Neosporin and band-aids in Rachael's bag, I'll be right back!" Blaine said as he sped off towards a bench.

"I like Blaine, Daddy," Stephanie mumbled. He looked down at her in astonishment at her sudden confession. Stephanie had never been so quickly attached to anyone before. "He's nice to me, and he has pretty eyes. Can I play with him and Rachael again sometime?"

"Of course kitten, of course," Kurt murmured as Blaine kneeled beside him once more and began to apply the medicine. "Oh Blaine, I forgot to properly introduce myself, I'm-"

"Kurt," Blaine offered with a small smile. "Stephanie has told me everything about you. She told me all about how you love brushing her hair, singing, cooking, watching those shows with those ladies taking pictures in the pretty dresses, etc. etc. Also about how sometimes you bring 'special friends' home, and when you bring 'special friends' home then that's 'daddy's time' and she has to leave you alone, but she told me not to worry because 'none of daddy's special friends are as pretty as you, Blaine'." Kurt felt his cheeks go scarlet as Blaine bit his lip to fight a smirk and finished applying the bandage. "Alright sweetheart, all done!"

Stephanie looked down at the bandage and back up at Blaine as her puppy dog eyes returned. "It still hurts, kiss it to make it better?" she asked in a tiny voice as her bottom lip began to tremble.

"Stephanie Hummel!" Kurt scolded, but Blaine just beamed at her and kissed her knee without hesitation. Kurt gazed at the man with his mouth agape. _This guy can't be real_ he thought as Blaine turned to give him a smile with a mischievous look in his eye. Embarrassed from being caught staring, Kurt quickly looked down as the blood rushed to his cheeks.

"Well, it's getting late. Rachael, sweetie, it's time to go home," Blaine announced as he stood and dusted off his dark tight fitting jeans. Kurt took note of the man's impeccable fashion sense and added it to the list of reasons why this man was sheer perfection.

"Aw, but Daddy I don't wanna go home yet!" Rachael whined as she pouted and tears began to swim in her large golden hazel eyes that mirrored her father's. "I wanna play with Stephanie some more."

"I know, but I'm sure we'll see her again," Blaine reassured her as he took her hand and began to lead her to the bench that held their belongings. "How about we come back here tomorrow after Dora? Maybe if we're lucky Kurt and Stephanie will be here." Kurt's cheeks flared up once more when Blaine turned over his shoulder and winked at him.

"Okay, Daddy. Bye Stephanie! Bye Mr. Hummel!" Rachael called back as she gave them an enthusiastic wave and skipped ahead of her father.

"Stephanie, kitten, when does Dora come on?" Kurt muttered as he waved back.

"Eleven. Why?" Stephanie asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Wanna come back here tomorrow at 11:30?"

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**A/N: Well there you have it. This chapter was fairly short compared to how the other chapters are going to be, since it's basically a test run. Again, reviews/criticism/ideas are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY! What witchcraft is this? Don't get used to it, I'm very inconsistent xD In this chapter we get to learn a bit about Kurt and Blaine's past! Enjoy~**

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_Chapter Two__: Sunday, October 13__th__, 2024_

The sun was shining in New York, but the weather was anything but toasty. The air was freezing and there was an icy breeze. Though there was a chill in the air, the small park in the lower east side was filled with cheerful people. Lovers strolled hand and hand down the paths, people walked their dogs, children shrieked with joy as they swung on the swings or slid down the slides, and families took advantage of the breeze by flying kites, but Kurt could not get into the cheerful spirit as he watched his daughter run around the playground.

A loud sigh escaped Kurt's lips as he shifted uncomfortably on the cold wooden park bench and checked the time on his phone. _It's already past noon,_ Kurt thought bitterly. _He's not coming. It's freezing and I've been sitting here for over half an hour; he must have found something better to do. I can't believe I was honestly excited about this._ Kurt had been in an anxious wreck since the previous day. The moment he and Stephanie had arrived in their tiny apartment he had rushed straight to his room to begin planning his outfit, singing and dancing around his room gleefully as he did so. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so enthusiastic about a trip to the park. Eventually, after about two hours, hundreds of outfits, and about fifty annoyed huffs from Stephanie whenever he'd ask for her opinion, Kurt came up with the perfect outfit: a formfitting white trench coat, skintight black jeans, white Doc Martens, a gray and black striped scarf, and black gloves. It was simple yet chic. The next morning, after a seemingly endless episode of Dora the Explorer ("Oh my God the tree is _right there_ Dora would you quit wasting my time and asking me all these questions? You're the one with the map!"), Stephanie was practically jogging alongside her father to the park.

"Hello there, stranger. I hope you weren't waiting too long," Kurt heard a voice say as the bench creaked beside him. His head whipped around and he couldn't fight back the smile that grazed his lips as Blaine flashed him a shy smile. "It's about a twenty minute walk from my house, and Rach and I stopped for hot drinks since it's so cold. Here, I bought you a coffee." Kurt's cheeks flashed a light shade of pink at the fact that Blaine had thought of him. He muttered his thanks as he took the offered cup. His cheeks grew darker and his heart slightly quickened when Blaine's hand momentarily brushed against his. Their gazes met for a split second before Kurt quickly looked towards where the girls were playing on the slides and took a sip of his coffee, almost spitting it out in surprise.

"How did you know?" he demanded, abruptly turning back to Blaine and making his brow furrow in confusion. "My coffee order! How did you know?"

"Coincidence?" Blaine suggested with a shrug.

"So out of all the things you could have ordered, you _coincidentally _ordered a grande nonfat mocha?"

"Yes."

Kurt eyed him skeptically and shook his head as he turned back to the girls and took another sip. They fell into a silence as they watched their daughters play, and Kurt took the opportunity while Blaine was distracted to admire his outfit. He was wearing tight dark wash jeans, a black peacoat, a red plaid scarf, and black dress shoes; simple, yet Kurt found it perfect and flattering. He turned back to the girls and took another sip of his coffee; it was already starting to warm him up.

"So, Kurt," said Blaine, breaking the silence "when did you come to New York?"

"About twelve years ago," Kurt answered simply. Blaine nodded in an encouraging way and motioned for him to continue when Kurt said nothing more. Kurt usually didn't tell people his whole story, no one really cared to hear it before, but the inquisitive look in Blaine's deep hazel eyes persuaded him to go on. "I moved here right after I finished high school with my best friend Rachel. We had both auditioned to go to NYADA, and we both became finalists," Kurt smirked at the impressed expression on Blaine's face "but she got in and I didn't. It was our dream to go to New York together though, so I still came with her. We had an apartment together for a while, I went to NYU, she went on to becoming a huge Broadway star, and the rest is history." Kurt had decided to go with the short, sweet, and simple version of his journey to New York. He decided to leave out how his NYADA rejection had made his self-confidence crumble, how he had never planned on going to New York with Rachel afterwards but he felt guilty letting her go alone, how he had to deal with years of depression that he had to hide from his peers, especially Rachel, though she was too caught up in her own social life to notice the lack of his anyways. No one had known how tormenting it was for him to watch Rachel live out both of their dreams, and Kurt was determined to keep it that way.

"Wait, 'huge Broadway star'? Your friend wouldn't happen to be Rachel _Berry_ would it? _The_ Rachel Berry?" Blaine asked; his triangular eyebrows high on his forehead.

"Mhm, that's her. Rachel Berry, Broadway Berry, she's actually my sister-in-law. We were in glee club together in high school," Kurt answered with a shrug. He was used to people's flabbergasted reactions when they found out that he had been roommates with the legendary Broadway star.

"The New Directions! From Ohio! You're from Ohio!" Blaine exclaimed; his golden eyes shining. "What a coincidence, I'm from Ohio too! I used to go to Dalton Academy; I was the lead singer in the Warblers. We went against you guys at Regionals! You guys were fantastic."

"Oh, you're Blaine Anderson! Of course, how could I have not recognized you before? Thank you, I honestly thought you guys were better. I was actually going to transfer to Dalton in my junior year, but I didn't want to leave my friends so I ended up staying at McKinley."

"What a shame, I'm sure you would have been an excellent addition to The Warblers," Blaine said with a flirty wink. Kurt felt his cheeks color once more and prayed that Blaine would just assume it was the cold weather.

"So, Blaine, what's your story? When'd you come to New York?" Kurt asked. He loved the way Blaine's name rolled off his tongue.

"About eleven years ago, right after high school, just like you. I also had big New York dreams," Blaine answered with a smile. "College wasn't exactly my thing, so I never went, much to the chagrin of my parents. I just had little odd jobs here and there, and I played gigs whenever possible hoping that one day I'd get my big break. My buddy Wes and I shared an apartment, but as soon as I got enough money I got my own place. After that it was basically just me and my guitar. I eventually became pretty lonely, and it was surprisingly hard to come by gay bachelors, even here, it felt like Ohio all over again. Then a few years later I had this phase where I thought maybe I was bisexual, and that's when Dana came along, and then Rachael came along, and then one day I just realized 'yep, I'm gay, one hundred percent gay' and the rest is history. I'm still waiting for that big break though."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later, you're really talented," Kurt said, earning him a bright smile from Blaine. "So where are you currently working then?"

"For the Record, it's a music store. I figured I might as well work somewhere where music is involved. I play some gigs at coffee shops and cafes from time to time though, most weekends and some weeknights. Just trying to put myself out there, you know? Luckily I make enough from the store and tips so that Rachael and I can live comfortably. What about you? Where do you work?"

"Just at a little diner, but I try to audition at different local productions when I can. That never seems to go well though. At least luckily with my open schedule I can spend more time with Stephanie, and my manager is pretty lenient so I can have time to pick her up from school. She goes to McLennon Elementary."

"You're joking! Rach goes to McLennon too! I'm surprised I've never seen you around. She just started second grade. What do you think about the teachers there?"

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There was a spring in Kurt's step as he walked home. The air seemed significantly warmer, the sun seemed like it shined a little brighter, and Kurt had to restrain himself from skipping alongside his daughter. They ended up spending most of the day at the park, and Blaine had even invited him and Stephanie out to lunch with himself and Rachael when Stephanie had ran over complaining about the hunger aches in her stomach.

Kurt couldn't get over how immensely flawless Blaine truly was. He had refused to let Kurt pay for anything when he had offered and insisted it was no problem and his treat. What Kurt loved the most was the way he interacted with Stephanie. When he talked to her he always had a bright smile on his face. He listened to everything she said with rapt attention, which was really saying something because once she got going nothing would stop her, and he acted as if everything she said was extremely interesting and important. It was rare to find someone who behaved that way towards her.

"Hey Daddy guess what!" Stephanie suddenly exclaimed, slowing down to walk beside him and pulling Kurt out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked, intrigued by her sudden outburst.

"Rachael and I are going to be best friends!" she answered excitedly, her azure eyes shining up at him. "I told her where I go to school and she told me not to worry about first grade because she had the teacher I have last year, and that she'd help me if I ever needed help with anything! I'm going to have my very first school friend, Daddy!" Kurt smiled lovingly at his daughter as she went on about her new friend. He was so glad to see that Rachael and Stephanie got along so well, for Stephanie had just started school and hadn't yet made any exceptionally close friends. Rachael seemed to be a more low-key than Stephanie, but their personalities complimented each other which made their friendship work. He could see them being friends for a long time.

"What about you and Blaine, Daddy?" she asked. Kurt had lost track of the conversation and was taken aback by the sudden question.

"What about me and Blaine?" he asked.

"Are you guys going to become best friends too? Rachael said that she's never seen her daddy so happy, and she said that she thinks that you guys are going to get married someday, but I told her that you guys were just friends but that would be great if you guys did because then she and I would be sisters," she answered casually. Kurt didn't think his cheeks could get any more heated.

"I highly doubt Blaine and I are going to get married, sweetie," he answered awkwardly, though his heart did flutter at the thought and his mind raced with images of Blaine in a tux. "But I do hope that him and I are going to be very good friends." The thought of being good friends with someone seemed almost foreign to Kurt. It had been a long time since he had been exceptionally close to anyone, so he had been surprised by how easy it was to talk to Blaine. Conversation flowed easily between them, and there was something about Blaine that was extremely convivial. Kurt found that they could talk as if they had been friends for years, and he absolutely loved learning about Blaine and his life. It was like they had instantly connected, which was an even more foreign thought to Kurt.

"I love our new friends, Daddy," Stephanie stated simply as she continued to skip ahead of him.

"So do I, sweetie, so do I," Kurt said as a small smile grazed his lips.

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**A/N: R/C/I greatly appreciated as always!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: -CASUALLY SCREAMS AT NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS IN ONE NIGHT- Oh my gosh the response to this story has been AMAZING. Thank you to the people who reviewed, it means so much. This is kind of a filler chapter where we get to see how the average day is in the life of the Hummels. Also a former member of New Directions comes into play(; Oh and I forgot to mention (which I should have in chapter one) I do indeed have a Tumblr, so if any of you want to send me a review or idea or something in my inbox that'd be supermegafoxyawesomehot too. My url is also seethebrigherlights. Anyways, enough chit chat, on to chapter three!**

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_Chapter Three:__ Monday, October 21__st__, 2024_

"Welcome to Diner Dash, where food comes in a flash, my name is Kurt and I'll be your waiter this evening," Kurt announced as he mentally cringed and cursed whosever idea it was for them to say such an extremely cheesy slogan. He wondered how he managed to say something so idiotic fifty times a day and not go insane. Kurt had been working at Diner Dash for almost three years. It was a train car shaped traditional American diner that looked like it had been taken straight out of a 50's movie, with a black and white checkered floor to complete the vintage look. When you entered the diner you were greeted with a blackboard that listed the daily specials, most of them being cheesy puns. To your left was a long porcelain counter and bright ruby red barstools with metal rims, and behind the counter was the kitchen. To your right white tables lined the walls, with bright red chairs to match the barstools. There were windows above each table that looked out into the busy New York street. Across from the entrance on the far wall there was a little stage where performers would play music, or people who thought they were performers would sing karaoke. Next to the stage was a jukebox filled with songs that were even older than Kurt.

Kurt let out a loud sigh as he leaned against the counter. "What's wrong now, Lady Face?" asked the pretty Latina waitress leaning across the counter behind him.

"I can't deal with your insults right now, Santana. I'm busy wallowing in self-pity here," Kurt shot back. Santana had been working at Diner Dash even longer than Kurt had. Shortly after graduating college she had also moved to New York with her girlfriend, now fiancée, Brittany. After Stephanie was born Kurt had been desperate to get a job to support his new family, and Santana and Brittany had been there to babysit for him while he was at work. He eventually felt like too much of a burden to them and, thanks to Santana, managed to get a job at the diner where his hours were flexible and he could work while Stephanie was at school. He could never thank Santana and Brittany enough for how much they had helped him.

"Is this about that piece of man candy you missed out on?" she asked as she rolled her eyes. "That's your fault for not growing a pair for once in your life and getting his number while you had the chance. Who meets up with someone _twice_ and _doesn't _get their number? You're not going to stay young and flexible forever, Tickle-Me Dough Face. You should have hit that while you had the chance."

Kurt gave her his signature bitch glare as he snatched his notepad off of the counter and stalked over to the family that had just sat down at a table. It had been over a week since he had last seen Blaine. The previous weekend he and Stephanie had gone to the same bench at the same time as they had the following weekend in hopes of reuniting with their new friends, but the Andersons never showed. Kurt was extremely disheartened by this and worried that he'd never see the honey eyed hobbit again. Rachael had kept her promise to Stephanie of them becoming school friends, and every day Stephanie would rant about all of the things they talked about. Kurt had often thought of persuading Stephanie to ask Rachael when they planned on going to the park again, but he didn't want to seem desperate. He had even brought this idea up to Santana.

"Using a six year old as your wingman? I expected better of you, Hummel," she had said as she shook her head. "Why don't you just find out where he lives, march your little McQueen clad butt over there, and go get your man? It's really not that hard. It's been over a week you could have been gettin' some _serious_ ass by now." Kurt sighed at her brutal honesty and decided to drop the subject.

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Kurt closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the steering wheel as he pulled into the parking lot at McLennon Elementary. It had been a tremendously long day at work, and he just needed a second to recuperate. It seemed like everyone in New York had decided to eat lunch at Diner Dash that day, and the limited amount of staff members didn't exactly make things go any smoother. Between the work load and having Santana badger him about not 'having the balls to go get his man', Kurt was absolutely exhausted. He immediately perked up and pasted on a smile when he saw his daughter sprinting towards the car out of the corner of his eye.

"Hi kitten, how was your day?" he asked automatically as soon as she had settled in the back seat.

"It was great! Was yours bad? You look really tired," she said, the concern radiating from her oceanic eyes. Kurt gave her a small genuine smile in the rearview mirror, he was always amazed by how bright and perceptive his six year old daughter was.

"It was just long," he reassured her. "I'd much rather hear about your day instead." She instantly sat straighter and her eyes became shining sapphire stars as she retold every detail of her day. Kurt nodded and hummed at the appropriate times as he listened to her and drove home. He loved his daughter's limitless energy; it was like she was his own little ball of sunshine that radiated warmth and happiness. He sometimes envied her optimism and innocence, though they were the two things about her that he loved the most.

The second they had arrived home and Kurt shut off the engine Stephanie bounded out of her seat and raced upstairs to their apartment. Kurt furrowed his brow in confusion, for his daughter seemed to be unusually excited about something, but decided not to ask questions and followed after her. Once they were inside she dashed into her bedroom, almost trampling the cat in the process.

"You just almost killed Porcelain you know," Kurt called after her, watching the snowy cat glare in his daughter's direction.

"Sorry, Porcelain!" she called back. Kurt shook his head at his daughter's antics and proceeded into their tiny kitchen to begin dinner. He quietly hummed to himself as he began chopping vegetables and gathering ingredients for a stew. His humming eventually became singing as he stirred everything in a pot. He could hear Stephanie enter the kitchen behind him and sit down at the table.

"Is there a reason you're so animated today?" he asked her as he continued to stir.

"Guess who I saw today!" she demanded, completely ignoring his question.

"Who?" he asked, adding a few more ingredients to the pot.

"No no you have to guess!" she said. He turned over his shoulder and saw her eyes sparkling with excitement. He rolled his eyes at her and turned to continue stirring the stew. He decided to play along.

"Santa Claus?" he offered.

"No!" she said with a giggle.

"The Tooth Fairy?"

"No!"

"Bigfoot."

"Daddy!"

"Harry Potter."

"Even better!"

"Better than Harry Potter? Impossible. Who was it, I give up."

"Blaine!"

Kurt's hand instantly froze and his breath caught in his throat at the name. "Oh did you?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent. "I thought Rachael's nanny picks her up because he works on weekdays."

"She usually does, but he took off work today!" she explained, the excitement still evident in her voice. "He gave me a really big hug and told me it was great to see me, and I asked why he wasn't at work, and he told me it was because he hadn't been in the mood to go to work today." Kurt's heart quickened and his grip on the spoon tightened as the gears in his head began to turn. Had Blaine been missing Kurt too? Was it possible that he had a reason for not showing up at the park that weekend? And even more importantly, did he want to meet up again?

"But it gets better!" she exclaimed, her excitement somehow building even more. "I asked him if they were going to come to the park again, and he said that he would love to meet up this weekend! Same place same time! Isn't that great, Daddy?"

Kurt thought his heart was going to explode out of his chest. He felt like running through the apartment, singing at the top of his lungs, dancing with Porcelain, and sprinting out onto the streets to express his joy to the world. It was as if a ray of sunlight had burst through the clouds and was shining down into their tiny New York apartment kitchen.

"Daddy?" Stephanie asked. Kurt hadn't noticed that he had been standing there letting the stew boil over the sides of the pot. He cursed loudly as he fumbled with the stove, making his daughter roar with laughter. After he had cleaned up and served dinner, he sat down with her at the table and noticed that she had been previously drawing something.

"What are you drawing?" he asked as he took a bite of his stew.

"It's a present for Blaine!" she answered, showing him the picture. It was a drawing of two little girls, one with long wavy dark hair and blue eyes and one with short brown hair and golden eyes, and two men, one with short curly dark hair and golden eyes and one with coiffed chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. Both pairs were holding hands. "That's me and Rachael, and that's you and Blaine. Do you think he'll like it?"

Kurt smiled affectionately from the picture to his daughter. He couldn't help thinking that they looked like a little family. "I'm sure he'll adore it, kitten," he reassured her, earning a dazzling smile.

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**A/N: I absolutely cannot WAIT to write the next chapter, it's going to be the best one yet! I've been **_**dying**_** to write it ever since I came up with the idea! Anyways, Halloween is coming up soon (in the fic, obviously) and I'd LOVE it if you guys could shoot me some ideas for their costumes! I currently have a Disney theme idea, but it would mean the world to me if you guys could give me some input! R/C/I appreciated as always.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Well, school just started, so updates are going to be FAR less frequent. But don't worry, I won't pull a CP Coulter and not update for HALF A YEAR –glares at Dalton- Anyways, one of you asked if there was ever going to be a 'life in the Andersons' chapter, and honestly I had never even thought of that xD Sadly no there won't, since this story is basically from Kurt's point of view, but don't fret we DEFINITELY will see more of Rachael. I have plans for her ;D OH AND I TOTALLY FORGOT A FRICKEN DISCLAIMER. Holy crap four chapters in and I completely forgot. –facepalm- Alright well, I own a hamster, a pair of Doc Martens, a signed copy of The Land of Stories, a Beatles calendar, and a Harry Potter costume, but I do not own Glee.**

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_Chapter Four:__ Saturday, October 26__th__, 2024_

Kurt couldn't impede the grin that steadily grew on his face as he approached the park bench hand in hand with Stephanie. The Andersons had already arrived and were waiting anxiously, Blaine checking his watch every few seconds. Kurt had purposely gotten there about fifteen minutes late, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Stephanie! Mr. Hummel!" Rachael cried when she noticed them approaching. She quickly leaped up and bounded over to Stephanie, sweeping her up into a bone-crushing hug as if they hadn't seen each other in years instead of under twenty-four hours. Blaine looked taken aback by his daughter's sudden enthusiasm, but smiled contentedly at the girls nonetheless. The whole time Kurt hadn't taken his eyes off of Blaine for a second. He suddenly realized just how much he had missed him the past two weeks, how much he had missed that dazzling smile and those intense molten gold eyes.

"Hello there stranger, I hope you weren't waiting too long," Kurt quoted in an impression of Blaine's voice as he sat beside him and the girls skipped off to the play structure.

"Psh, you're a terrible me," Blaine said as he rolled his eyes. "For one, you look _nothing_ like me, I'm _much _more dashing, and two, you didn't even bring me coffee so I could yell at you about _coincidentally_ getting my coffee order."

"I did not _yell _at you!" Kurt scoffed. "I was simply startled by the fact that you ordered my _exact_ coffee order, the same size and everything. I mean seriously most coffee shops here have over thirty drinks you can get and you happened to order exactly what I do. A bit creepy honestly."

"Maybe it was fate," Blaine said melodramatically, his eyes growing comically wide and his hand flying to his chest. "Maybe the stars had aligned and a higher power grabbed me by the shoulders, pointed at the nonfat mocha, and said 'Blaine Everett Anderson, you go buy that grande nonfat mocha and bring it to that immensely beautiful man, for it is your destiny. It is why you have been placed on this Earth'. Kurt, it all makes sense! It's the only explanation!"

Kurt let out a loud laugh and smacked Blaine on the arm playfully. "You are such a dork," he replied with a shake of his head and a smirk. Then something Blaine had said finally processed. "Wait, Blaine you…you really think I'm beautiful?" He turned to him with his cerulean eyes wide in astonishment. No one had ever called him beautiful before.

Blaine's eyes also widened and his cheeks slightly darkened. Kurt guessed that he hadn't realized what he had said. "Of course I think you're beautiful," Blaine whispered, his honey eyes softening. "Haven't you seen yourself in the mirror lately?"

Kurt had no idea what to say. He stared into Blaine's eyes, and Blaine stared right back, rich gold uniting with sapphire blue. Kurt wondered how someone as stunning and breathtaking as Blaine could ever see him as 'beautiful', but the sincerity radiating from Blaine's eyes told Kurt that Blaine truly did believe that he was. Kurt wanted to say something back, to tell Blaine that he thought he was beautiful too, but the words caught in his throat and his mind diminished to mush under Blaine's intense stare.

"Hey Daddy?" a little voice asked timidly, making Kurt and Blaine both jump. They both turned and saw that it was Rachael. She was shifting from foot to foot with her eyes downcast, obviously feeling like she had interrupted them. "Um, sorry, but, Stephanie and I were talking about Halloween next week, and she told me that she had a really great costume and asked if I wanted to see it, but I told her I'd have to ask you first. So, is it okay if I go and see it?"

"Well, that's not really up to me, Rach. You'll have to ask Kurt if it's okay," he said, his eyes shifting over to Kurt.

"Mr. Hummel, sir, may I please see her costume?" she asked bashfully, refusing to meet Kurt's eyes.

Kurt smiled affectionately at her. She was immensely polite for her age, even though she could be exceedingly shy. "Why of course you can!" he exclaimed, beaming at her. "I would love to have you guys over. Why don't we go right now?"

"Really?" she asked, beaming back at him, her honey eyes glittering. "Thank you, Mr. Hummel!"

"Are you sure it's alright?" Blaine asked hesitantly as she darted back to the slides to tell Stephanie. "I mean honestly you barely know us." Kurt laughed at this; he had almost forgotten that he'd literally only known Blaine for less than three days. When they talked it was as if they had known each other for years.

"Of course it's alright! And don't say that, I'd like to think that I know you pretty well," Kurt said with a genuine smile. "Unless you're secretly some mass murderer who uses your seven year old daughter to get into people's homes and then chop them to bits."

"Oh crap, who told you?" Blaine asked jokingly, earning another slap on the arm from Kurt.

――――――

As soon as Kurt unlocked the front door Stephanie grabbed Rachael by the hand and swiftly led her into her room, almost trampling Porcelain in the process.

"Stephanie, the cat," Kurt called as he rolled his eyes and held the door for Blaine.

"Sorry Porcelain!" Stephanie called back as she shut her bedroom door.

"She always does that, I don't know how the poor thing deals with it," Kurt explained as he leaned down to pet Porcelain's soft snowy fur and Blaine scanned the room. Kurt's apartment was exceptionally small, with only two bedrooms, a tiny kitchen, a living room, and one bathroom, but the way it was decorated simply screamed _Kurt_. It looked as though he had had a professional decorate it, but anyone who knew Kurt could tell he had done it all himself.

"Your apartment is lovely," Blaine commented as he strolled around the living room and admired every detail. He approached a shelf that was crowded with pictures, focusing on the one in front which was the biggest and had a frame that was covered in gold stars. Kurt followed him and stood beside him, watching Blaine scrutinize the photo. The woman in the picture he assumed Blaine recognized instantly, he had probably seen her face all over Times Square. To her left was a tall young man holding a child who looked around the age of one, and to her right was Kurt. The picture had been taken years ago, and Kurt looked significantly younger yet more tired and worn. They were all beaming at the camera, but Kurt's smile appeared unnatural.

"That's my step-brother Finn," Kurt explained, pointing to the man. "The baby that he's holding is Alex, my nephew. He's nine now. I used to babysit him when he was a baby, such a long time ago now that I think about it." He gave Blaine a small sad smile and the energy in the room instantly changed.

"Why do you look so miserable in this picture?" Blaine hesitantly asked after a moment of silence, turning back to the photograph. Kurt froze and turned his head abruptly to Blaine who was fixated on the photo. "Your smile, I can tell it's fake. It looks convincing enough, but I can tell that it's forced. Your eyes are what really give it away though." Kurt turned forward and slowly closed said eyes. He had been caught. "They look almost…dead. There's no light in them, and there's always a light in your eyes, Kurt. They're always shining, but not here."

Kurt could feel the tears start to sting the corner of his eyes and a lump begin to build in his throat. He opened his eyes and stared at the picture, specifically at the little boy, and he could feel Blaine watching his every move. How could he see through his façade so easily? What was it about Kurt that allowed Blaine to practically read him like a book? He was at a loss of what to do, but he knew he couldn't lie to him. He couldn't tell him that it had just been a bad day when the photo was taken, Blaine would never believe that. Kurt closed his eyes once more and felt the tears betray him and slither down his cheeks.

"Kurt, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" Blaine exclaimed as he grasped Kurt's hand, which only made the tears flow more. "Please don't cry, I'm so sorry, I'll just get Rachael and leave-"

"No Blaine, it's okay, it's not your fault. I'm just being silly," Kurt said. He internally cringed at how broken and weak his voice sounded. He opened his eyes and gave Blaine a watery smile as he wiped his eyes with his free hand, making Blaine squeeze his other one. "Don't worry about it, it's nothing I swear. It's really nothing."

"Don't lie to me," Blaine demanded, his tone almost sounding harsh. "Something's bothering you. You're not telling me something, please just tell me. You can trust me I promise." Kurt squeezed his hand back as he said this. Truthfully, he _did_ trust Blaine. He actually _wanted_ to tell him what was wrong, and he had never told anyone, even the friends he had held dear for years. This frightened Kurt, what was it about Blaine that made him so vulnerable? If Kurt Hummel was anything, vulnerable wasn't it, but as he looked into Blaine's eyes he could feel his defenses lowering. He didn't understand how he could trust this man so easily, this man that he barely knew, yet all he wanted to do was just break down and tell Blaine every detail. He wanted Blaine to hold him close and for a moment make Kurt believe that everything was going to be alright. Kurt found this to be a ridiculously childish urge, but he couldn't help it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and the fear, and made a decision.

"It all started twelve years ago, when NYADA turned me down," Kurt began. "I put on a smile and told everyone that I was alright, that I would be fine, but I wasn't alright, and I knew I wasn't going to be fine. That rejection destroyed me. I used to be so self-assured and confident. I knew who I was, I knew I had talent, I knew I had big things coming my way, but then I didn't get in and-" He shook his head and sighed, turning away from Blaine. He couldn't continue with those sympathetic eyes focused on his. "I just lost it; all the confidence, all of my self-esteem, all of my happiness, everything. Everything I had worked for was just ripped away from me; and Rachel, Rachel got _everything_ and it was just so painful to watch, but she was my best friend so when she asked if I still wanted to go to New York with her I _had_ to say yes. I couldn't make her go alone.

"So we went to New York together and got an apartment, even though I was still broken. I was so very broken, but Rachel had no idea. She would always go out and everything and was so engrossed in her little world that she never noticed how unlike myself I was. She would tell me all about her day and everything she learned in NYADA, while I was stuck in NYU. That might have been the worst part, hearing about everything I was missing. Anyways, this went on for about two years, until she got pregnant. She was back with Finn at the time, and was about to start her last year of college. I knew that her and Finn couldn't handle the baby on their own, not with school, and so I dropped out to help them. I had grown to hate school anyways, and my grades were awful.

"And so, I lived with them, for about a year and a half. I was happy to help, and I felt a bit like myself again. I was really good with Alex, and I felt wanted and needed, which I hadn't felt in a while and it felt…good. Then Rachel graduated, and I started to feel like a burden. I felt out of place, like I was crashing their family portrait. I felt too involved, I was only his uncle, and so I moved out, got a job, and lived alone. It didn't take long for the depression to reappear, only about a month. I was literally more alone than I had ever been. Then about a year later, I realized what I needed. I needed to feel needed again, like I had when I had taken care of Alex. I needed someone that depended on me. It sounds silly, I know, but it's what I needed to feel happy again. And so, as you can probably guess, who should show up in my life nine months later?

"Stephanie. She's literally my whole world, my pride and joy. I don't care how cliché it sounds. She was my light at the end of the dark tunnel I had spent so many years in. I literally owe her my life, and I have no idea where I would even be today if it weren't for her." Kurt didn't know when he had started crying again, but tears were steadily flowing down his porcelain cheeks. He turned to Blaine and gave him a genuine smile. He was amazed by how good it felt to finally just let it all out, to cry and not hold back, to let his guard down for once and share his pain with someone else. He felt immensely relieved and squeezed Blaine's hand, which had never left his.

Unexpectedly, before he could even blink, Blaine's strong arms were around him and squeezing tightly. He squeaked in alarm but instantly relaxed and returned the hug, burrowing his face in Blaine's shoulder and inhaling his scent. His scent was intoxicating, a mixture of freshly mowed grass, a new book, and spearmint toothpaste. Kurt's tears dried and his heart soared as he wished that Blaine would never let go, but as quickly as Blaine's arms had enveloped him, they were gone, but Blaine still held his hands and smiled kindly at him, his eyes filled with sympathy and understanding.

"Thank you for telling me everything," Blaine practically whispered, as if he was afraid that speaking too loudly would ruin the moment. "I know that must have been hard."

"It was surprisingly easy actually," Kurt admitted with a small smile. He took a moment to admire the feeling of Blaine's hands in his. They were soft, strong, and warm, and made his heart flutter. Every moment spent with Blaine made him fall harder and harder, which both frightened and elated him. Their eyes met and Blaine's rich gold reunited with Kurt's sapphire blue like they had at the park. Blaine's eyes flickered for a second, and he looked as though he wanted to say something, but the moment quickly passed and he broke their eye contact.

"I, um, I think Rach and I should go," he muttered, his cheeks coloring as he released Kurt's hands and backed away slightly. Kurt's perfectly groomed eyebrows knitted in confusion; he didn't understand what had happened. What had Blaine wanted to tell him? But before he could ask Blaine had called out to Rachael, informing her it was time to go. Kurt briefly panicked, wondering when would be the next time he could see Blaine again. He couldn't let him walk back out of his life, not now, when he could feel himself becoming more and more attached to him. He couldn't just stand by and hope that one day Stephanie would run into him again.

"Come back tomorrow?" he blurted out. Blaine's amber eyes widened and Kurt quickly cast his eyes downward, awkwardly fumbling with the corner of his shirt. "I just mean, if you'd like to. So Stephanie can play with Rachael again? She's never had a friend over before." Kurt could feel his cheeks glowing scarlet and silently cursed the fact that Blaine caused him behave like a nervous blabbering school girl.

"Sure, we'd love to come back tomorrow," Blaine replied with a smile. "How about I give you my number, and you can text me when I can come over?" Kurt could feel his stomach doing acrobatic flips that would make a gold medal winning Olympic gymnast envious.

"Yeah that- that sounds like a plan," Kurt stuttered. _STUTTERING? What the hell is wrong with me? Get it together! This isn't you at all _he thought, wanting nothing more than to just smack himself, but Blaine gave him and friendly smile as they exchanged numbers, obviously finding Kurt's behavior humorous. Kurt silently prayed that his normal witty composed self would be back the next day.

――――――

**A/N: ANGST ANGST ANGST. Making my baby go through so much; is this what Ryan Murphy feels like? Anyways, I found this chapter to be a bit random actually, and I apologize for that if you agree, but it's because I actually had a lot more planned for this chapter, but I didn't want to make it 10k words so I basically just cut it off. Therefore I also apologize for the ending. Ugh I'm so upset though I hadn't even gotten to the fluff yet which is why I was so excited to write this! –grumbles- Well, chapter five is hopefully coming soon! Again, my Tumblr is the same url, so send some R/C/I :D Thanks for sticking around lovelies~**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: ALMOST FIFTY FREAKIN' FOLLOWERS. –CASUALLY SCREECHES- Thank you to those who reviewed! Special shout out to my girl RACHAELLLLL, who inspired the Rachael in this fic! Sorry love, there's not going to be a 'day in the life of the Andersons' chapter/3 but I swear I have things planned! Anyways, TIME FOR SOME FLUFF. Plus a song! I've been dying to write this chapter. Okay so, I own three dogs, a giant stuffed Pikachu, three Beatle shirts, and a pair of Snoopy pajama bottoms, but I do not own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter Five:__ Sunday, October 27__th__, 2024_

Kurt let out a sluggish groan as the phone on his bedside table vibrated raucously, forcefully wrenching him from the land of slumber. He glanced at the digital clock beside his phone which alerted him that it was roughly 8:00 in the morning. _Who the HELL is texting me at this God-forsaken hour on a Sunday,_ he thought bitterly as he grabbed his phone and squinted at the bright screen.

_**New Message from: Blaine**_

If it were any other time of day, Kurt would have completely swooned at the fact that Blaine had been thinking of him and decided to text him first, but it was 8:00am and Kurt Hummel was _not_ a morning person. He opened the text anyways, seeing what could have been so _astoundingly_ important that early in the morning.

_**Good morning Sleeping Beauty(: Just making sure you didn't give me some fake number yesterday. This is Blaine by the way. Hopefully this is you, Kurt. Oh God I should have checked to make sure it was you first. I hope I didn't just call a complete stranger Sleeping Beauty…oh God please tell me this is Kurt.**_

Kurt rolled his eyes and sighed. Blaine even rambled in text messages. He quickly typed back a reply.

**Yes Blaine, this is Kurt. Why on Earth would I give you a fake number when a) your daughter is in contact with my daughter, b) you know where I live, and c) I just spilled my soul to you yesterday which makes it pretty obvious that I like/trust you? More importantly just exactly WHY are you texting me THIS early?**

Kurt sat up and stretched. He decided he might as well get up and start the day early now that he was awake. He had a lot to do anyways, he wanted to clean the already spotless apartment before Blaine and Rachael arrived. The thought instantaneously pulled Kurt's lips into a smile. Blaine would be in his apartment, again. His phone buzzed once more.

_**I was just checking! It's already 8:00 it's not THAT early, and early is better! More time in your day! Plus I didn't expect the text to actually wake you up… Sorry, I guess I should have thought of that. Of course you need your beauty sleep! Someone with as pretty a face as yours must get a lot(; Wait no that kind of came out wrong. Not that you NEED beauty sleep or anything, you're probably gorgeous even without sleep. Wait no that kind of came out wrong too. Okay I'm just going to stop talking now.**_

Kurt giggled as he texted back, beaming at how positively endearing Blaine could be.

**You're too adorable I swear. Okay you dork, how about you and Rachael come over around noon? Is that okay? Unless you made other plans…**

He hadn't even set down his phone when he got a reply back.

_**WHAT no way of course I didn't make other plans! Rachael and I have been excited about this since yesterday! How about 1:00 instead? I have a few things I have to pick up before we come over.**_

He beamed and did a tiny happy dance as he texted back.

**Sounds good to me! Can't wait!**

――――――

_Ding dong! _Kurt took a deep breath and fixed his already flawless hair in the mirror by the front door as he went to answer it. _Show time_ he thought as he swung the door open with a bright smile. His welcoming expression transformed into one of confusion as he was greeted by the sight of plastic bags. He could barely see Blaine or Rachael over them.

"Hi Kurt!" Blaine greeted merrily as he and Rachael bustled in and over to the table where they set down the mountain of bags. "I bought some stuff for today's activities!"

"Today's activities…?" Kurt asked as he peered into the bags. Blaine had purchased baking ingredients, various types of vibrant candies, multiple colors of sprinkles, a few colors of icing, and an abundance of different cookie cut outs.

"We're baking cookies!" Rachael cheered as she hopped up and down and clapped her hands. Kurt had never seen her so animated.

"Blaine, you didn't have to buy all of this. It must have cost a fortune. Plus we have plenty of baking ingredients already," Kurt said as Blaine began to put the baking supplies onto the table.

"Nonsense! It was a surprise, and I didn't want to assume you'd have everything. It's fine really, I make enough money from my job and my gigs to afford a few luxuries sometimes," Blaine replied. Kurt instantly felt a pang of jealousy. The diner paid him enough for him and Stephanie to get by, but their budget was immensely tight. He constantly wished that he could offer his daughter more in life. She never complained about their simple life style, but she never knew any better.

"We're baking cookies?!" Stephanie asked excitedly, yanking Kurt out of his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed that she had entered the room.

"Heck yes we're baking cookies! And not just any cookies, _Halloween_ cookies! Look I got cut outs and everything!" Blaine explained zealously as he pointed to the supplies. "There's witches and pumpkins and cats and ghosts and I got sprinkles and candy and icing to decorate with!" Kurt couldn't fight back a smile at how childish Blaine could be. His golden eyes were twinkling and he looked just as excited, or even more excited, than the girls were. "Hey Kurt, could you preheat the oven for us?"

"Sure, I think I should handle the dangerous parts since I seem to be the only _adult_ here," he teased as he set the degrees on the oven. "I wouldn't want you little children burning down the apartment." This earned him a glare from all three of them.

"I'm not little!" the three of them chorused. Kurt chuckled as he turned the dials on the oven. Behind him he could hear Blaine giving the girls orders as if they were in the military, literally.

"Alright soldiers, here's the battle plan," he began in a booming authoritative voice. Kurt practically jumped at the volume and whipped his head around to see Blaine pacing in front of the girls with his hands clasped behind his back. The girls were standing rigid with their chins held high and their eyes unblinking as they saluted. Kurt shook his head in bewilderment at the sight. "You two shall be in charge of baking! You shall take turns with each step while Lieutenant Kurt and I supervise you. Understand?"

"Sir yes sir!" the girls recited in perfect unison.

"If you need help with anything you must alert the lieutenant or myself immediately, do you understand me?"

"Sir yes sir!"

"And there shall be no quarreling over who does what or you'll both be on the first boat back to the mainland. _Do I make myself clear?_"

"SIR YES SIR!"

"Very good." He gave them a bright smile before abruptly turning to Kurt, his expression stern once more. "Lieutenant!"

"Yes, Blaine?" Kurt asked, rolling his eyes.

"That's _general_ to you, Lieutenant. You should show more respect to your authorities! Did they teach you _nothing_ in training?"

Kurt stared Blaine down, trying to decide whether he wanted to laugh or hit him. He shot him his best bitch glare, but Blaine's demeanor didn't falter for a second. He sighed in defeat and decided to try and just play along. "Yes, _general_?"

Blaine flashed him a grateful smile before going back into his act. "Your first mission is to locate a cookbook, then bring it back here. Make sure you aren't spotted by our enemies." His eyes darted over to Porcelain who was lapping up water in the corner of the kitchen. Kurt rolled his eyes before doing what he was told.

Baking went a lot smoother and was much more enjoyable than Kurt had anticipated. The girls never had a disagreement with turns, and neither of them had to be 'sent back to the mainland'. The only mishap had been when Rachael had inadvertently doubled the amount of eggs, causing her to apologize profusely as Blaine reassured her that it was much better that way because "now we can just double everything and make twice as much!" But most of all, Kurt enjoyed how right it all felt. Blaine was marvelous with Stephanie, in a way that he couldn't understand. They connected so well, as if they had always known each other. It was uncanny how well the two little families connected. Kurt could feel himself becoming more and more attached to not just Blaine, but Rachael too. It didn't take her too long to come out of her shell and guffaw along with Stephanie at Blaine's silly antics. Kurt quickly learned that she was extremely bright for her age, as Stephanie was for hers, and it was impossible not to fall in love with her once you got to know her. Kurt could effortlessly see her and Blaine being a permanent part of his and Stephanie's lives, and the idea didn't frighten him as much as he often believed it would.

"Why is your witch sad, Rachael?" Stephanie asked as she leaned over to observe Rachael's creation closer. The four of them were crafting their dough into Halloween shapes at the dining room table. Initially only the girls were going to decorate the cookies, but there were so many left over from Blaine's idea of doubling everything that they had enough cookies to feed half of New York.

"She's not sad, she's mad. She's a witch, and witches are always mad. They're evil," Rachael answered simply. Her deep amber eyes widened in disbelief as if she assumed it was obvious.

"That's not true, not _all _witches are evil," Stephanie replied shaking her head. "There are good witches too. There's good witches and bad witches."

Kurt shook his head with a smirk as the girls began to debate whether witches were good or not. It was the first time he had seen them have a disagreement, and it was highly amusing. He turned to Blaine and saw that he didn't seem to find it amusing at all. His jaw was set as he glanced between the two girls, worry evident in his honey eyes.

"Hey, don't worry. It's good for them to argue sometimes," Kurt whispered so only Blaine could hear. He set a reassuring hand on Blaine's shoulder which seemed to reflexively relax at his touch. The thought that he could comfort Blaine with a simple touch brought a smile to Kurt's lips. "Plus, for the record, Rachel is right, basically all witches are evil."

Blaine's eyes practically bulged out of his sockets and Kurt thought he could hear his neck snap as he turned to him with lightning speed. "That's not true! Stephie's right! Witches can be either!" he retorted indignantly.

Kurt couldn't even smile at the nickname, his piercing cerulean eyes narrowed. He sensed a challenge. "No, Rachael is correct. The word witch basically has a negative connotation. When you hear the word 'witch' you think of the ones you always see in children's movies. The ones with the black cats, long noses, warts, etc."

"That's just a stereotype! You can't base all witches off of a _stereotype_! Not when there's plenty of examples of good witches! For example, the Good Witch of the North from Wizard of Oz, Hermione, etc. You can_not _tell me that Hermione Granger is _evil._"

Kurt scoffed as their discussion became more heated. Neither man noticed how their daughters had gone silent and were watching their fathers bicker far worse than they had. "Oh come on you can't genuinely consider the two of them witches just because they _say_ they're witches. Glinda is mostly a fairy, and Hermione is more of an enchantress."

"AN ENCHANTRESS?" Blaine shot up out of his chair, nearly knocking it backwards. His golden eyes were blazing and he had an almost manic look on his face. Kurt stood up as well, his electric blue eyes cold. He was thankful that he somewhat towered over Blaine, making him more intimidating. "You're trying to tell me that she's an _enchantress_? I'm shocked! Repulsed even! The quote is 'yer a wizard, Harry' not 'yer an _enchanter, _Harry'. You know that, Kurt! I _know_ you've read Harry Potter, you laughed at my reference yesterday! Just admit it, you know Stephie and I are right!"

"No, Rachael and I are right!" Kurt stepped closer, glaring daggers down at Blaine.

"Stephie and I are!" Blaine stepped closer as well, meeting Kurt's icy stare with one of his own. It didn't take Kurt long to notice that they were only a few inches apart. His eyes widened and he felt his cheeks begin to glow as he immediately stepped back. All of a sudden, with a slight _splat_, he felt something lukewarm and sticky get smashed into his scalp. His whole being froze and his eyes grew wide as he heard the girls give sharp gasps beside him. He slowly reached a hand up to his what used to be flawless hair in utter shock and delicately felt the cookie dough that was now mixed with his hairspray. He hadn't noticed Blaine grab the cookie dough jack-o-lantern that he had been working on. His mouth hung agape as he stared at Blaine's triumphant smirk.

"Rachael, would you like to live here with Stephanie and I?" he asked monotonously, his eyes never leaving Blaine's.

"Um, why?" she asked, her tone one of uncertainty.

"Well, I just figured you'd like somewhere to live after I _kill your father_," he growled through gritted teeth, his eyes flooding with rage. Blaine's smirk immediately vanished and was replaced with a look of sheer terror as he bolted out of the kitchen. Kurt was after him in an instant, his mind racing with different methods of torture. He chased him into a corner of the living room, laughing with triumph as Blaine looked around frantically for an escape route. Just as Kurt began to close in on him, Blaine vaulted over the couch with astonishing stealth and raced into the closest room, which happened to be Kurt's bedroom. Kurt dashed to the door, but wasn't quick enough, and slammed into it just as he heard the lock give a subtle _click_. He gave a roar of fury as he pounded his fists on the door. He could hear Blaine chuckling on the other side.

"Blaine Everett Anderson you open this door this _instant_ or I swear on every article of clothing I own you will _rue_ this day," he shrieked as he gave the door a particularly hard kick.

"Aw, you remember my middle name? How sweet," Blaine teased. His voice sounded farther away from the door.

"Well it's not exactly that hard of a name to forget, _Everett_," Kurt bit back, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he gave the door another kick.

"I still think it's sweet of you to remember, _Elizabeth_," Blaine taunted. Kurt froze mid-kick.

"How did you-?"

"It says your middle name on your high school diploma, which is hanging above your vanity. By the way you have a very impressive collection of skin care products, and they're organized so nicely. Maybe if you promise not to murder me I won't ruin the order, which looks like you spent so long to perfect…"

Kurt let out an exasperated sigh as he turned away from the door and pinched the bridge of his nose. _Obviously my usual threats are going to get me nowhere, _he thought. "Blaine," he called, trying to keep his voice even. "I am going into the bathroom to wash this out of my hair. I will return back here in fifteen minutes, and if you are not out of my room so I can fix my hair by then, I swear to you I will burn every bow-tie, cardigan, and skinny jean you own." _Well, maybe not the skinny jeans…_

――――――

"Alright girls, why don't we sing a Halloween song while the cookies bake?" Kurt heard Blaine ask from the kitchen. After taking about half an hour to wash and restyle his hair, Kurt felt much better, but still acrimonious. He wordlessly strolled into the kitchen and sat down at his previous spot, refusing to meet Blaine's gaze.

"But we don't know any Halloween songs," the girls chimed in perfect harmony.

"Nonsense, you'll know _this _song," Blaine said with a knowing smirk as he placed his phone on the iPod dock that Kurt always kept on the kitchen counter. This caused Kurt to glance up inquisitively, he couldn't think of any Halloween songs off of the top of his head either. Before he could brainstorm he heard the opening music play from the speakers, and it took him every ounce of self-restraint not to smile as Blaine began to animatedly bob his shoulders to the beat and circle the table.

_Boys and girls of every age  
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?  
Come with us and you will see  
This, our town of Halloween_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_  
_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night_

_This is Halloween, everybody make a scene_  
_Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright_  
_It's our town, everybody scream_  
_In this town of Halloween_

Kurt had to laugh at how animated and enthusiastic Blaine was when he sang. He imitated each voice as they changed, while still keeping a hint of his velvety baritone. With each voice change he would lean in close to one of the girls or Kurt so he was singing directly in their ear for a more theatrical yet spookier affect. He even acted out each part.

_I am the one hiding under your bed  
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red_

He had dived under the table and pinched at the girls' feet with his fingers like teeth.

_I am the one hiding under your stairs  
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween  
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

_In this town we call home  
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song_

Kurt and the girls had taken the lead for the higher pitched part, before Blaine took the lead once more.

_In this town, don't we love it now?  
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise_.

_Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can  
Something's waiting now to pounce, and how you'll..._

The threesome had taken the lead again as Blaine slowly crept up behind Kurt and grabbed him by the shoulders making him yelp in surprise.

_Scream! This is Halloween_  
_Red 'n' black, slimy green_

_Aren't you scared?_

_Well, that's just fine_  
_Say it once, say it twice_  
_Take a chance and roll the dice_  
_Ride with the moon in the dead of night_

_Everybody scream, everybody scream_

_In our town of Halloween!_

_I am the clown with the tear-away face_  
_Here in a flash and gone without a trace_

_I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?"_  
_I am the wind blowing through your hair_

Blaine had fanned out Stephanie's dark wavy hair making the raven haired girl giggle.

_I am the shadow on the moon at night  
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween  
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!  
_

All of them had joined together for the chorus before the girls took the lead, jumping out of their chairs and dancing around with Blaine.

_Tender lumplings everywhere_  
_Life's no fun without a good scare_

Kurt couldn't help but jump out of his chair as well, his resentment forgotten as the excitement and holiday spirit in the air overcame him. He and Blaine even joined together for the next line.

_That's our job, but we're not mean_  
_In our town of Halloween_

Blaine took the lead for the mayor's section, and the girls and Kurt joined in afterwards. The four of them danced around the small kitchen with each other, each of them beaming as they sang together, their voices blending in perfect harmony.

_In this town  
Don't we love it now?  
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise_

_Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back_  
_And scream like a banshee_  
_Make you jump out of your skin_  
_This is Halloween, everyone scream_  
_Won't ya please make way for a very special guy_

_Our man jack is King of the Pumpkin patch_  
_Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now!_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_  
_Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

The girls took the lead as they spun around each other, hands clasped together. The men laughed and sang the back up.

_In this town we call home  
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song_

_La la la lalala_

_(lalalalalalalala Halloween Halloween)_

_La la lalala_

_(lalalalalalalala Halloween Halloween)_

_La la lalala_

_(lalalalalalalala Halloween Halloween)_

_Lalala whee!_

The group burst into laughter as the song ended. The girls literally rolled around on the floor laughing, and Kurt leaned onto Blaine for support as tears of laughter streamed down his face. He didn't fail to notice the way Blaine's arm seemed to automatically loosely slither its way around his waist and hold Kurt's body firmly to his as he laughed with him. Kurt's cheeks grew hot and his laughter subsided into giggles, but he didn't try to pull away. On the contrary, his body seemed to melt at the contact.

The laughter finally died away and left them all red faced and panting as the oven let out a _ding_ to signal that the last batch of cookies were finished. Blaine's arm retracted, to Kurt's disappointment, as he went to take them out. It took them hours to decorate all of them, for there were so many and they all took their time decorating. The time that was supposed to be spent decorating was mostly spent chatting spiritedly about every topic under the sun. They would all make jokes and tell stories, and Kurt couldn't recall ever being more joyful or carefree. He never wanted the day to end for the first time in his life.

But sadly, as the sun descended in the sky above New York, Kurt's heart deflated at the thought of the Andersons departing. When the time came he could tell that their friends also didn't want to leave. There was a heavy tension in the air.

"Today was really fun, I had a great time," Blaine said a bit awkwardly as he and Rachael stood outside the front door.

"Me too, we definitely have to do it again sometime," Kurt replied with a small smile.

Blaine's honey eyes suddenly glowed with exhilaration as an idea hit him. "How about this Thursday? Halloween! We can all go trick-or-treating together! Rachael and I were just going to go by ourselves, but it would be much more enjoyable if we went with you two," he said excitedly, but his expression suddenly dropped to one of uneasiness. "Unless you guys have other plans, of course. I don't know if maybe you were going to go with Finn and Rachel and the boys."

Kurt smiled at Blaine's uncertainty, he found it oddly adorable. "We usually go trick-or-treating by ourselves as well. We would love to go with you two, it would be our pleasure," he reassured. With a sudden jolt of courage he reached forward and squeezed Blaine's hand to show his sincerity. He could have sworn he saw Blaine's cheeks darken slightly at the interaction.

"Sounds like a plan!" Blaine exclaimed. The exhilaration was back in his golden eyes and now also in Rachael's as she radiated excitement beside him. "I'll text you about it on Wednesday and we can decide when and where we're going to go."

"Sounds like a plan, we'll see you on Thursday!" Kurt said as he retracted his hand. He immediately missed the contact.

"Bye, Kurt!" Rachael said as she hugged Kurt's waist tightly and then skipped away to the stairs. Kurt couldn't help but notice some of Stephanie's mannerisms that seemed to rub off on her already. Blaine hesitated before giving Kurt a quick firm hug and a small wave with a meaningful look in his eyes as he too departed, and just like that Thursday felt eons away.

――――――

**A/N: FAVORITE CHAPTER SO FAR. Not even gonna lie guys. I hope it's yours too! I'm sorry I took so long to update, school really cuts into writing time, but I made it extra long to make up for it! The song is 'This is Halloween' from Nightmare Before Christmas, and I highly recommend listening to the song as you read it to give you a better visual. AND IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT MOVIE, GO BUY IT. NOW. Best Tim Burton movie of all time. On a final note please I BEG of you send me some ideas for next chapter. I asked for costume ideas a few chapters ago, but no one sent anything. Why don't you guys respond WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME. No but seriously please send ideas in reviews or in an ask to my Tumblr (again, same name). Okay guys chapter six coming…eventually~**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I guess my begging at the end of chapter five worked xD THANK YOU FOR YOUR IDEAS. Special shout out to DC World with your flawless idea for Stephanie's costume, which I couldn't **_**not**_** use. Seriously. Also another special shout out to my girl Dana for all of her wonderful plot ideas! (her username on here is NotAlone87 and she has a Hunger Games/Glee crossover you NEED to read) Enjoy chapter six guys, and thank you all so much for all of your support OH. DISCLAIMER. Riight. I own a Powerpuff Girls blanket, unicorn Pillow Pet slippers, and The Black Parade on vinyl, but I do now own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter Six:__ Thursday, October 31__st__, 2024_

"If you laugh I swear I will slam this door in your face, or hurt you. Probably the latter," Kurt growled through clenched teeth as he opened the front door. "And I have a knife! Well, it's plastic, but still! I can do damage."

Blaine looked at Kurt with wide honey eyes, at first with alarm and confusion at Kurt's threat, but then with amusement when he got a full view of Kurt's costume. "What are you going to do, throw pixie dust in my eyes?" Blaine teased with a wide smirk as Rachael giggled beside him. Kurt quickly moved to slam the door, but Blaine's foot was faster. Kurt groaned in frustration and threw Blaine a wicked glare, his aquamarine eyes icy.

"Hey, I'm just joking, Kurt. I love your costume. I think you look adorable," Blaine said, his golden orbs flashing from amusement to sincerity and regret. Suddenly, he leaned forward so that his lips were only inches away from Kurt's ear. Kurt barely suppressed a shiver. "I especially love the tights," he breathed in a slightly lower register, causing Kurt's breath to catch in his throat. As he pulled away Kurt could see his eyes flash with a new emotion that he definitely hadn't seen in Blaine before. His heartbeat rapidly became erratic and his head swam as he tried to calm his body down before he attacked Blaine in front of his seven year old daughter. Sadly, he could do nothing to impede the blood that was racing towards his cheeks, making his face as red as the feather in his hat.

After seeing Peter Pan for the first time a few months prior, Stephanie had insisted that she wanted to be Wendy for Halloween. They had a tradition that their costumes _always_ matched, so this meant that Kurt would have to be Peter Pan. At first he was strongly against parading around New York in nothing but a pair of skin tight green tights, a lime green tunic, a matching hat with a bright red feather, and tan pointed shoes, but as he looked into his daughters begging bright blue eyes, he simply couldn't say no. Kurt, unable to bear the thought of having mediocre costumes, had gone the whole nine yards, making the costumes himself and spray painting his hair bright orange for the occasion. Once he finally saw the whole ensemble in the mirror, he felt ridiculous, but had to admit he made a good Peter Pan.

The look in Blaine's eyes disappeared as he turned to his daughter, though he couldn't conceal the confident smirk on his lips. "Rachael, why don't you go inside and give Stephie our present?" he asked; his amber eyes now filled with mischief. Rachael flashed him a devilish meaningful smile, causing a wave of worry to wash over Kurt. It was unmistakable the duo had something planned. Before he could ask about their plot, she bustled in past Kurt, mysterious paper bag in hand and her robes billowing behind her.

Blaine and Rachael were also matching costumes, Blaine being Harry Potter and Rachael being Ron Weasley. Their outfits were evidently store bought, but they had added in their own tiny touches to make the costumes their own. Rachael's short brunette hair was also spray painted bright orange and freckles had been drawn on her face with marker, and Blaine had a Sharpie lightning scar. Kurt took note that Blaine made an even more attractive Harry Potter than Daniel Radcliffe had, which to Kurt had once seemed unachievable.

"So, um, shall we go inside?" Kurt mumbled as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. He suddenly felt remarkably uncomfortable being alone with Blaine, which was a new experience. He was getting used to feeling strangely relaxed in Blaine's presence.

"Yes of course," Blaine replied, his golden eyes glowing and a knowing smirk plastered on his face. Kurt knew his discomfort must have been painfully apparent. He followed Blaine inside the strategically decorated apartment, cheeks stained rosy pink. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Rachael and Stephanie emerging from Stephanie's room. His daughter was definitely not wearing the powder blue dress, blue satin sash, and matching hair bow that he had spent hours sewing.

"Stephanie…honey…_what_ are you wearing?" he asked in a strained voice, his wide eyes never leaving the black Gryffindor robes and bushy haired wig that his daughter was sporting. He could see Blaine and Rachael's triumphant grins out of the corner of his eye.

"We bought it for her," Rachael replied, her grin growing. Kurt's head snapped towards her, his piercing sapphire eyes even wider than before. "She's Hermione!"

"We thought that she should be something _magical_," Blaine added, his voice thick with sarcasm and his grin also growing to match his daughter's. Kurt's head now snapped towards Blaine; it was almost scary how alike he and Rachael looked. "We figured that Wendy wasn't magical enough for Stephie. She should be something like a witch, or I don't know, an _enchantress._" There was a defiant glint in his eye, which Kurt gave a colossal effort to not to find sexy but failed.

For once in his life, Kurt Hummel was at a loss for words. He raked his brain searching desperately for a response, but came up with nothing. He simply stood there with his mouth agape and eyes wide as a hurricane of different emotions raged inside of him, the most prominent ones being disbelief, shock, and fury. He glanced around at each Gryffindor as a sudden realization hit him, his ability of speech returning.

"Then I'm not going," he stated with finality as he strut over to the couch and plopped himself down, grabbing Porcelain before he could escape and forcibly stroking the snowy fur. The cat meowed loudly with annoyance as he glared at Kurt with his emerald eyes, but Kurt ignored him. There was absolutely _no_ way he was going to go strolling around New York in a Peter Pan costume if his companions were dressed as Hogwarts students. He'd look ten times more absurd than he already did.

"What do you mean you're not going?" Blaine asked, the humor in his voice gone. He sat beside him, but Kurt refused to look up at him.

"I'm not going around like this when you guys are all matching. Porcelain and I will have fun here where no one can see us. You guys can go without me," he muttered, trying to keep his eyes transfixed on the cat which was rapidly becoming increasingly difficult due to Blaine's close proximity.

"But Daddy you _have _to come! We always go together," Stephanie whined, forcing Kurt to lock gazes with his daughter. She was right, they had always gone together, and tradition was something that had always been important to Kurt.

"Yeah Kurt, it wouldn't be the same without you!" Rachael added, her honey eyes pleading. Kurt let out a long sigh, it was three against one.

"Fine, I'll go, but Blaine Anderson you _owe _me," he growled as he shot Blaine one of his signature bitch glares. A grin split Blaine's face in half as he nodded vigorously with molten gold eyes glowing. He practically knocked Kurt off of the couch as he attacked him with a bear hug.

"I'll buy you every scarf that comes out next season!"

――――――

"Toothbrushes. Are they freakin' kidding me, _toothbrushes_?" Blaine asked. He shook his head with incredulity as Rachael showed him what the previous house had given her and Stephanie.

"They're just trying to make a point, trying to remind kids of the importance of dental hygiene. They're probably dentists or something," Kurt replied with a shrug as the girls sped off towards the next house.

"They're crazy buzzkills that's what they are," Blaine mumbled, hurling the toothbrush into the house's garden. "It's Halloween! A night of sugar and fun! If you're going to give out something as lame as toothbrushes they should at least come with candy. How hard would that be? Like 'hey kid, here's a toothbrush and a Snickers! Happy Halloween!' See how simple it is?"

"Jeez, you take it so personally. I'm sure they didn't mean to offend you. You have beautiful teeth, there's no need to be insecure," Kurt teased, giving Blaine a sympathetic pout and earning a small slap on the arm.

"I'm not insecure about my teeth! I take very good care of them, I know they're _flawless_. I just hate when people do stuff like that," he replied, firing a glare at the house as their daughters returned. "Hey girls, wanna come back later tonight and egg these mean peoples' house?"

"…What does that mean?" Stephanie whispered to Rachael as her father began to lecture Blaine about the importance of 'setting a good example for his daughter'.

Trick-or-treating had started out exactly as Kurt had expected. The second he had left his apartment with Blaine and the girls he had received countless bemused glances from his neighbors. He had instantly spun on his heel to sprint back inside, but Blaine had caught him by the hand before he could take a step. Blaine's firm grip was more than enough reassurance to get him to continue, especially when he didn't let go.

It only took a few minutes for the holiday spirit to finally sink in, and once it did Kurt couldn't help but admire the spectacle that was New York dressed up in Halloween decorations. Every house looked different, but not a single one was unembellished. Some had small militias of jack-o-lanterns leading up to their doorstep, while others had cobwebs with eerily realistic spiders hanging in their windows. A select few had ghosts hanging in trees that gave out shrill wails whenever someone passed by. Kurt preferred the cuter and sweeter decorated houses to the ones that tried to send children scampering away and screeching for their mothers. The ones that enveloped their front door in darkness as a smoke machine spewed out a dense fog over the walkway, forcing trick-or-treaters to venture out into the unknown; the ones that had recordings of thunder and screaming coming at you from all angles. Kurt especially loathed those houses.

So of course that was the exact kind of house that Blaine attempted to convince the girls to approach. "Come on guys, this is the point of Halloween! You're supposed to get scared! It's fun!" he explained, his honey eyes glowing with excitement behind his round wire glasses. Kurt had quickly discovered that Blaine was exceptionally enthusiastic about the holidays. He had explained to the girls how to know which houses would give out the best candy, and would bounce and point with fervor when he saw one that 'must have the motherload by the looks of it'. With Blaine's instruction the girls had their pillowcases extraordinarily full in only two hours of intense trick-or-treating. Kurt was astonished that Blaine wasn't trick-or-treating right alongside them, since he seemed more eager than the girls were, but Blaine remained by his side the entire time. Their hands remained connected as they strolled behind their daughters, sharing Halloween memories and commenting on different houses' decorations.

"I don't know Daddy, this house seems really scary," Rachael muttered hesitantly, her amber eyes fixated on the sign that read 'Maze of Terror, Enter at Own Risk!'.

"Well I'm not scared!" Stephanie declared, her chin held high with confidence and her azure eyes twinkling with courage. "Don't worry Rachael, if something jumps out at you you can just cast a spell on it! _Wingardium Leviosa_!" She placed her arm around Rachael's shoulders encouragingly as she made the swish and flick motion with her wand. Rachael flashed her a grateful smile as they proceeded into the maze, hand in hand.

Kurt wasn't as easily convinced. A ghostlike mist emanated from the maze, making it even more unwelcoming than it already was. The only light sources were black lights that somehow managed to make the maze appear even darker. Kurt stood rooted to the spot.

"Are you coming?" Blaine asked, turning around when Kurt didn't follow. "I'd rather keep Stephie and Rachael in sight. I don't want them getting abducted in there or anything."

"Um, I think I'll just stay and wait for you guys out here," Kurt mumbled, thankful that the darkness hid his blush.

"Wait a second…Kurt, are you…scared?" Blaine asked, his golden eyes widening with disbelief. Even though it was hard to see, Blaine's eyes stood out as if he were a cat.

"No!" Kurt blurted out, making Blaine's eyes widen even more. "I just…don't want to go in."

"Aw Kurt, it's okay, you can hold my hand if you'd like. I won't let the monsters get you," Blaine teased, holding out his hand and obviously entertained by Kurt's blatant fear. Kurt sent him a wicked glare as he strode past him and into the maze with confidence, though his stomach was in tight knots. Fortunately it was impossible to get lost, for there were white arrows on the grass that directed the children to the heart of the maze. Kurt followed the arrows, walking briskly and wanting to just get the girls and leave as quickly as possible. Blaine had to practically jog to catch up with him, and once he did his hand automatically found its way into Kurt's, almost as if it were a reflex. Kurt's pace slowed as the taut knots in his stomach transformed into fluttering butterflies at Blaine's touch, his distress instantly diminishing.

The fear quickly returned as they reached the heart of the maze. It was better lighted than the rest of the maze, but eerily silent. The noises of the other children trick-or-treating mysteriously vanished, which gave the impression that they had been cut off from the rest of the world. Kurt's heart hammered in his chest, easy to hear in the silence, as his hand became slick in Blaine's.

The heart of the maze was shaped into a narrow oval, and a large goblet filled with candy sat on a pedestal in the middle. About ten feet behind the pedestal was the exit, and about five feet in front of the pedestal on each side sat unmoving drooping figures in antique chairs. They were dressed in filthy tattered clothing and dark masks. Kurt couldn't tell whether they were living or not, which he assumed was the intention. His electric blue eyes flickered from the figures to the exit; the only way out was to walk through them.

"I guess the girls already went ahead," Blaine said, not showing an ounce of fear. Kurt wished he could be as calm. "Well, looks like there's only one way out. After you!"

Kurt's stomach dropped, his head began to feel light, his breathing became ragged, and a feeling of anxiety shrouded him as he thought of proceeding alone. He was on the verge of either having a panic attack or fainting. His terror kept him rooted to the spot.

"Oh my gosh, you really _are _scared," Blaine stated, his triangular eyebrows high on his forehead. There was no hint of teasing in his tone as he realized how petrified Kurt truly was. Kurt slowly closed his eyes and nodded. There was no point denying it anymore. He felt the corners of his eyes prickling with tears of embarrassment.

"Hey hey, it's okay! It's okay to be scared. I'm sorry I teased you earlier, I didn't know it was that bad," Blaine said softly, seizing both of Kurt's hands in opened his teary eyes and gazed into Blaine's golden orbs that radiated sympathy and understanding. "We'll go at the same time. It'll be over before you know it, I promise." He flashed Kurt an encouraging smile. Kurt could feel some of his fear melting away under Blaine's warm gaze, and the knots in his stomach seemed to not be as tight.

They slowly proceeded with caution, their eyes flickering from figure to figure searching for any signs of movement. Kurt began to relax as they passed by the chairs, his iron grip on Blaine's hand slackening.

"RAH!" the figure on the right cried as he lunged at Kurt and gripped him by the shoulders. Kurt let out an earsplitting screech and shoved the man off of him as Blaine loudly swore with rage beside him. He took off full speed toward the exit, ignoring Blaine's calls behind him and not looking back. He sprinted as fast as he could, his hat flying off his head as he almost collided with the girls who were waiting a few feet from the exit. He doubled over clutching the throbbing stitch in his side and gasping for air. His heart pounded in his ears yet he could hear Blaine's furious shouts in the distance.

"Daddy? Daddy what happened?" Stephanie asked as she placed a tiny trembling hand on her father's shoulder. Her voice was small and thick with worry and fear; it was a voice Kurt was not used to hearing. He looked up at his daughter, trying to give her a reassuring smile, but the unshed tears in her oceanic eyes indicated that she was not convinced. He glanced over at Rachael and saw that there were tears silently streaming down her cheeks, washing away her freckles. He instantly felt a strong pang of guilt and wished he had never left his apartment.

"Kurt!" All three of them turned as Blaine approached, Kurt's feathered hat in hand. "Kurt, are you okay?" he asked, his amber eyes glistening with concern as he handed Kurt his hat.

"Yes yes I'm fine, everything's fine," he lied as he stood up and gave the girls the brightest most sincere smile he could manage. The Harry Potter trio looked at him uneasily, none of them slightly convinced.

"Girls, can you give us a second? You can go on without us. Just stay on this block, okay?" Blaine asked, his eyes never leaving Kurt's face. Kurt immediately dropped his eyes, the embarrassment of his outburst beginning to sink in. The girls nodded and departed, sending anxious glances over their shoulders.

"I'm sorry I freaked out like that," Kurt muttered, keeping his eyes down as he toyed with the hat in his hands. "I didn't mean to worry you or the girls, especially the girls. I was just overreacting."

"Hey it's okay, don't worry about it. You were just scared," Blaine said as he gently set his hands on top of Kurt's, causing them to automatically cease their fidgeting. Kurt slowly lifted his eyes to Blaine's, azure connecting with amber. He gave a small gasp at Blaine's close proximity. "I told those assholes off anyways for scaring you like that, especially when they saw how terrified you were. Why were you so terrified anyways?" His tone was not judging, but curious.

Kurt let out a long sigh as he dropped his eyes once more, causing Blaine to rub his thumbs on the back of Kurt's hands encouragingly. "It was a long time ago," he began. "I was twelve and trick-or-treating with my dad, because I didn't have any friends at the time, and there was this haunted house. My dad waited for me as I went inside, and it was really dark and I couldn't see anything," his voice faltered for a second before continuing "and before I knew it some kids jumped me and beat me pretty badly. I don't even know who they were; they were just some high school kids I think. They said some…hateful things. As quickly as they had come, they were gone. My dad was livid when he saw me." He glanced up at Blaine and saw him staring at him brokenheartedly, tears swimming in his golden pools. Kurt felt his heart constrict at the sight. "As I said, it was a long time ago. I just never really liked haunted houses and such after that."

"Kurt, I- I don't know what to say," Blaine said as he shook his head, the tears in his eyes threatening to spill over.

"You don't have to say anything. I'm fine, really. Just letting it out helped; I've never told anyone that story before. Now please don't cry because if you cry _I'm _going to cry and I'm an ugly crier," Kurt joked, flashing Blaine a sincere bright smile that was instantly returned. Suddenly he found himself enveloped in Blaine's arms and being squeezed tightly. His felt his body relax at once; he was beginning to fall in love with Blaine's hugs.

"You're not an ugly crier, you're a beautiful crier," Blaine whispered softly. Kurt laughed, thinking he was joking, but Blaine's silence stated that he _wasn't_ joking, which caused the blood to speed toward Kurt's cheeks. He slowly wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist, squeezing him slightly and reveling in the feeling of Blaine's warm body against his. He wanted the moment to never end as he squeezed a bit tighter and breathed in Blaine's scent, that smell of freshly mowed grass, new book, and spearmint toothpaste that he was growing to love more and more each day. Blaine slowly pulled away, but only slightly as he gazed into Kurt's eyes, his honey eyes penetrating. Time and Kurt's heart seemed to stop at that moment as Kurt became hyperaware of how close Blaine was, how close his lips were, his lips that looked so pink and soft and inviting.

They heard a tiny voice clear its throat beside them. They jumped apart as if they had been jabbed with a branding iron, their heads whipping around in unison. Their cheeks were bright red as they looked down at their daughters who looked back up at them with amused smirks. "Are we interrupting something?" Rachael asked, cocking an eyebrow as Stephanie giggled beside her.

_Yes, yes you are VERY much interrupting something_ Kurt thought as he flashed the young girls the most sincere smile he could manage, though he knew the smile didn't reach his eyes. "No, not at all," Blaine replied with a cough, taking an extra step away from Kurt. "We were just thinking that maybe it's time we head back. It's getting late and you have school tomorrow."

"Mhm, I'm sure that's _exactly_ what you were thinking," Stephanie responded sarcastically, rolling her cerulean eyes as Rachael roared with laughter.

Kurt swore that sometimes his daughter was too advanced for her own good.

――――――

**A/N: FUN FACT- Kurt's extreme fear of haunted houses is based off of my own. I'm a total wimp when it comes to getting scared, though I was never beaten by high schoolers…Anyhow I am quite satisfied with how this chapter turned out, considering it basically wrote itself. I swear to you I'm not even slightly exaggerating I had NO idea where it was going the ENTIRE time. And finally pleasepleaseplease send reviews/criticism/ideas here or to my Tumblr (same url as always), your ideas make my life so much easier! Chapter seven coming soon, and don't worry I actually know what's going to happen this time! (that came out worse than I anticipated…)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Oh my gosh some of your guys' reaction to the end of last chapter was PRICELESS. Honestly, cockblocking is immensely fun to write. Alright well, let us cut to the chase shall we? We get another song in this chapter, YAY! More music! And last but not least, the disclaimer. I own every Harry Potter movie, every Beatle movie, and the entire Scott Pilgrim series, but I do not own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter Seven:__ Tuesday, November 19__th__, 2024_

"AHA! I got it!" Santana exclaimed as she slammed her notepad on the counter. Kurt glanced up at her inquisitively as he sent his text message to Blaine. It was a particularly slow day at Diner Dash. A few businessmen were scattered here and there at various tables, sipping their coffees and flipping through newspapers as they enjoyed a peaceful lunch break. Kurt had taken the opportunity to text Blaine while he was also on his lunch break, which had become a daily routine since Halloween.

The Hummels and Andersons had basically become their own little clique after that day, frequently going on outings to the park, ice cream parlors, the movies, etc. Some days after school Stephanie would even go over to the Andersons' apartment, which apparently looked like 'one of those fancy apartments you see in the movies!' At first Kurt was apprehensive about the play dates, for Stephanie had never been over at a friend's house before, but Blaine never gave him a reason to distrust him. He would even bring her home ten minutes earlier than he said he would, which Kurt told him was unnecessary, but Blaine insisted it was fine. He had never seen Stephanie as happy as she was when she was with the Andersons, and Kurt couldn't blame her. It was the first time in years that he had felt truly happy himself.

"Got what?" Kurt asked as his phone vibrated. He read the message and couldn't hold back a smile from spreading across his face. Their text messages usually consisted of flirty playful banter.

"The reason sunshine and rainbows have been comin' out your ass lately! You and Blaine finally got down and dirty, it's about time too. You guys must have been Brokeback Mountain'n it for weeks!" she exclaimed with a smirk, causing the man a few tables behind them to choke on his coffee. "I bet you're sexting him right now you little freak."

"Okay for starters let's not talk about my sex life in _public_, okay? More specifically at _work_," Kurt hissed, sending an apologetic glance to the man who was now gawking at him with wide eyes. "And second of all, though it is literally _none _of your business, no we have not done anything even remotely _close _to that. We've never even been alone for more than ten minutes at a time."

"Hey, ten minutes is enough sometimes," she replied with a shrug. "Girls are in the living room playing video games or playing spin the bottle or whatever the hell little girls do these days, you and your little butt buddy scamper off into the bedroom, boom bam ten minutes later you're done. All it takes. You just gotta keep quiet, which, hm, now that I think about it I don't know maybe you wouldn't be able to pull that off. You seem like kind of a scream-"

"And that's enough out of you, Santana!" Kurt screeched as he covered her mouth with his hand and looked back at the man who was now frantically packing his things. _Well there goes my tip,_ Kurt thought bitterly as he turned back to scowl at his so-called friend.

"Alright alright I get it, you're still the same innocent polished porcelain penguin you've always been," she sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Now go do your job and serve the guy that just walked in." She tapped his behind as she sauntered off, leaving a frazzled Kurt in her wake. _Sometimes I don't know how or why the hell I deal with her_, he thought as he shook his head and approached the customer that sat down alone at a table next to a window.

"Welcome to Diner Dash, where food comes in a flash, my name is Kurt and I'll be your waiter this afternoon," Kurt recited as he searched his pockets for his notepad and pen.

"You've gotta be kidding me, they make you say that _every time_?" a familiar voice asked with a laugh, causing Kurt's head to snap up. He could pull that voice out of any crowd.

"_Blaine_?" he asked, almost dropping his notepad in surprise. "How did- Why are- How did you know I work here?!"

"Knowing you I know you're not going to believe this, but I actually didn't know you work here," Blaine replied with a shrug. Kurt narrowed his eyes skeptically and Blaine laughed. "See, I told you you wouldn't believe me. I swear this is a coincidence. I ran into your manager Carrie at one of my shows last week, and she asked me if I wanted to perform here tonight. I agreed and figured I should check the place out beforehand, you know to get a vibe of the place. It helps with choosing a song, though I'm not getting much of a vibe right now." He frowned as he glanced around the tiny deserted diner. Besides him there were only three other customers.

"Yes of course, a _coincidence_. That seems to always be your excuse."

"It's not an excuse if it's the truth. Unless-" His hand flew to his chest as he abruptly turned to Kurt, mouth ajar and eyes comically wide and shining playfully "Kurt! Our old friend has returned!"

"Old friend?..."

"Fate!"

"Fate." Kurt gave him an incredulous look, convinced that Blaine had officially lost his mind.

"Yes fate, my dear Kurt, fate! Like when it told me to get you your coffee order! The planets have aligned once more! A higher power had sent Carrie to my show to bring me here! Ah yes, it's all perfectly logical."

Kurt laughed as he lightly smacked Blaine upside the head with his notepad. "Dork. Now are you going to order or is 'fate' going to have me kick you out?"

"Hmmmmmm," His brow furrowed in concentration and he gnawed his bottom lip as he scanned the menu. Kurt thought he looked positively adorable. "I'll take about five hundred of your man-catchin' beignets for my ball tonight," he declared in a southern accent as he handed Kurt the menu and batted his eyelashes.

"Princess and the Frog? Really, Blaine? _Really?_ How about a piece of cheesecake instead?"

"That'd be great, thanks Tia!"

"No problem, Lotti." Kurt shook his head with a smirk as he headed back to the counter. He couldn't comprehend how Blaine could have so many sides to him. He would be a mature and thoughtful intellectual one moment, and then a bouncy bubbly five-and-a-half year old the next. Sometimes he could make Stephanie seem like she was ready for college. As overwhelming as the wide spectrum of Blaine's personality was, Kurt actually loved how complex Blaine could be. There was always a new side of him to discover.

"Who's that?" Santana asked, picking at her nails as Kurt returned to the counter to hand in Blaine's order. "The guy you were just talking to. You seemed to be awfully chummy with him."

"Oh, that's just Blaine," Kurt answered simply as he leaned against the counter and watched Blaine gaze out the window. His face bathed in the sunlight, causing his tan skin to have a slight glow. Kurt took a moment to appreciate every one of his features. His soft dark curly hair, his long sweeping lashes, his full pink lips, his strong jaw line, and lastly, Kurt's favorite feature, his eyes. His eyes of pure liquid gold that shined with whatever emotion he was feeling. Whether it was joyfulness, sorrow, compassion, wonder, or exhilaration, Blaine's eyes always showed it. The sunlight streaming through the window hit his eyes in a way that made the green specks more prominent, making them look like fallen leaves in pools of sweet honey. Kurt had never seen Blaine look so downright breathtaking.

"Woah woah woah, back up a second. _That's_ Blaine?" Santana asked, her chocolate eyes wide. "That gorgeous piece of ass is _your_ Blaine?"

"Well, I wouldn't call him _my_ Blaine exactly but- Santana!" The Latina hadn't waited for him to finish his sentence as she briskly stalked off towards Blaine._ This can't end well,_ Kurt thought as he followed her.

"Hello there sexy," she purred as she plopped down across from Blaine, yanking him out of his thoughts. "I'm Santana, aka Kurt's best friend, but you probably already knew that. I'm sure Kurtie here has told you _everything _about me." She shot him a saucy wink.

"Santana, if I had to describe _anyone_ has my best friend it would definitely _not_ be you, and this is exactly why," Kurt hissed before Blaine could respond. "Just leave him alone!"

"Leave him alone? Just like you have been, Lady Hummel?" she replied with an impish smirk, her eyes never leaving Blaine's. "A man this stunning has needs, needs you definitely aren't satisfying. Poor little fella, if this was high school I'd help you out," she reached across the table and stroked Blaine's bicep, making his cheeks slightly darken as Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose "but sadly I'm out and proud now. If I still swung that way though I'd be climbin' you like a spider monkey. Well," she retracted her hand and frowned thoughtfully "maybe not _climb_, you are a bit petite."

"SANTANA! ENOUGH!" Kurt shrieked as Blaine's eyes became wide as saucers, his mouth agape and his cheeks a dark maroon.

"Just tellin' it like it is," she replied with a shrug. She shot Blaine another wink and gave Kurt a thumbs up before sauntering off back to the counter.

"Well, that's what I have to deal with on a daily basis. I'm really sorry about that. She lacks a filter," Kurt explained with a sigh. He turned back to Blaine whose cheeks still hadn't fully returned to their normal shade. "I'll just go get your cheesecake now." He shot Santana a ferocious glare as he marched back to the counter. "You're despicable, I swear. There's a reason your name sounds like Satan."

"Aw, I love you too! Now here, go bring Dapper McSexGod his cheesecake and enjoy the rest of his lunch break with him. Carrie doesn't have to know," she said as she handed him a plate of the creamy dessert and patted him on the head affectionately. He sighed and shook his head at her, but he couldn't stop the small smile that formed on his lips. Though Santana drove him to the verge of insanity, he loved her dearly.

Kurt cherished the extra time he gained with Blaine. They saw each other on almost a daily basis, but Kurt would never grow tired of spending time with him. He would never grow tired of the way Blaine's eyes lit up as he talked, or how he talked with a bright smile that could light a room and rarely ever faltered. They had become impossibly more attached over the few weeks after Halloween. They could and would talk endlessly about any subject, always interested on the other's point of view. Kurt had never experienced a friendship like the one he had with Blaine. It was one he could see lasting for the rest of their lives.

"So Kurt, I had an idea about next week," Blaine began, taking a rather large bite of his cheesecake and quietly moaning with pleasure. Kurt's heart skipped a few beats at the sound. "This is fricken delicious by the way. Anyways, I was thinking maybe while the girls are on break we can all go to the Museum of Natural History. Rach said that Stephie's never been there, and you guys _have _to go. We have to go to the Hall of Ocean Life and lie down on the floor and stare at the ceiling. You would not _believe _how relaxing it is."

Kurt's smile instantly dropped. "That sounds amazing and all but…I don't think we'll be able to," he explained, averting his eyes from Blaine's faltering smile. As close as they were, Kurt never told Blaine about his and Stephanie's financial situation. Whenever Blaine would suggest that they go to a museum or the zoo, or anything else that cost a significant amount of money, Kurt would always politely decline. Blaine would eye him doubtfully, easily seeing past the lie, but never ask any questions.

Kurt never told anyone about his situation. He didn't want to see the sympathy and pity in their eyes, he didn't want people to persistently offering their assistance, and he especially didn't want people to be concerned about him. He knew that Blaine had a helpful and generous personality, and he knew that if he ever found out about their problem he wouldn't sleep until he knew that he had done everything he could to help. "It'll probably be really crowded anyways, right?" he offered as he glanced up to give Blaine an apologetic smile, but his smile automatically plummeted when he saw the disappointment swimming in Blaine's honey eyes. He felt an intense wave of guilt; he hated letting him down time and time again.

"Yeah, I guess," Blaine mumbled as he gave Kurt a small insincere smile and took another significantly smaller bite of cheesecake. Blaine was dreadful at hiding his emotions, and his sad puppy expression made Kurt's heart shatter as the wave of guilt became a tsunami. "You'll come to my show tonight though, won't you?" he asked piteously; hope shining in his eyes and making him look like a small child asking for a new toy. Kurt felt his heart somehow swell and break simultaneously at the sight.

"Of course I'll come, silly! I'll bring Stephanie too and we'll make 'We Love Blaine Anderson' t-shirts and sell them," he said with a bright smile, earning a blinding grin from Blaine. His smile grew and he silently sighed in relief as Blaine took another colossal bite of cheesecake, his eyes bright once more.

"Great! In return when you do your next production Rach and I will sell 'We Love Kurt Hummel' t-shirts," he responded with a wink.

"Yeah, next time," Kurt mumbled dolefully, averting his eyes. It had been a long time since he had last been in a production, a very long time.

"What's with the tone?" Blaine asked, triangular eyebrows furrowed as he took another bite.

"Well, I don't exactly get to perform much. My auditions never seem to go too well. I 'lack the energy' they need or 'don't exactly fit the part' they're looking for or something like that. It's different every time, but basically it all ends with me going home unsuccessful," he replied with a melancholy shrug.

"That's preposterous!" Blaine exclaimed, waving his fork and causing a piece of cheesecake to fly through the air. "You're Kurt Hummel, you can do anything! You have more ambition than anyone I know. You're Hummel fierce!"

"As 'Hummel fierce' as I may be," Kurt said with a chuckle. "They were right, I lacked passion and vitality."

"Well you have plenty of that now! You can do it, Kurt. I know you can. There's a theatre program that gets together every year near where I live, and next year they're doing a production of 'Singing in the Rain'. Auditions are in January. You should try out!" Blaine offered, his eyes flooding with excitement as they usually did when he got an idea.

"We'll see, Blaine. We'll see." The excitement immediately began to drain from Blaine's eyes at Kurt's tone. "It's a great idea though!" he hastily added, not able to bear Blaine's puppy dog eyes a second time. "I did take tap dancing lessons for a few years. I could try out for Cosmo."

"I didn't know you knew how to tap dance," Blaine said, fork hovering in the air as his golden eyes grew wide.

"Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about me," Kurt replied with a wink. Blaine smirked and shook his head as he took another bite of cheesecake, doing a double take at his watch.

"Shit! I totally lost track of time! I have like ten minutes to get back to work," he exclaimed as he shoveled the rest of the dessert into his mouth. "Thank you so much, the cheesecake was divine. I'll see you tonight, yeah?" He gave Kurt a peck on the cheek as he gathered Blaine's dishes, causing the chestnut haired man to freeze and whip his head around. They gaped at each other with matching expressions, their eyes wide and mouths partially open.

"Um…" Kurt murmured; cheeks on fire as his hand crept up to rest on the spot where Blaine had kissed him. He was unsure of what to say; it was the first time in their friendship that Blaine had gone past hugging or holding hands.

"Oh my God Kurt I'm so sorry that was really weird and I don't know where that came from," Blaine blurted out, the panic evident in his eyes. Kurt's expression softened and a smile tugged at his lips as Blaine began to ramble. "That was too far I know it was I just wasn't thinking and oh God that was just really weird since we're just friends and-"

"Blaine, it's okay," Kurt assured him with a soft smile, hand never leaving his cheek. "Now go, you're going to be late." Blaine's azure eyes filled with relief as he smiled back and nodded. He ran towards the exit but paused with one hand on the door. He hesitated before turning back towards Kurt.

"Thank you for helping me with my song choice," he said, his lips pulled into what was almost a smirk as he gave a small wave and exited the diner, leaving Kurt to wonder what he meant.

――――――

"Daddy, I'm going to go find Rachael okay?" Stephanie asked. Kurt nodded as he watched his daughter disappear into the small crowd. Every Tuesday night Kurt's boss, and owner of Diner Dash, Carrie would host a 'Talented Tuesday' where she would let people perform on the little stage that took up the back of the diner. Though the event was meant to show 'talent', most of the time it was just drunken New Yorkers singing off-key to old songs. Kurt was sure his ears were on the verge of bleeding as he listened to a girl shriek along to some painfully obnoxious song about giving someone her number and asking if they'd call her. He sighed as he strolled over to the counter, leaning against it and praying that Blaine would come on soon.

"Alright well, that was a very, um, interesting performance. Thank you, Kim," Carrie said as she took the microphone from the girl who was now stumbling off stage. "We have a special treat for you all now! Next up is Blaine Anderson, and guys let me just tell you first hand that he's sex on a stick and sings like a dream. If you don't believe me, see for yourself!" She motioned over to Blaine who approached the stage, guitar in hand, as the crowd politely applauded. Kurt noticed a few girls openly rake their eyes over Blaine as he sat on a stool and fiddled with his guitar, one of them daring to wolf whistle. Blaine blushed as the crowd laughed, and Kurt shot the girl a wicked glare.

"Hi guys, as the _lovely_ Carrie has already announced, my name's Blaine," he said as he smiled softly at her, making her blush profusely and giggle. "The song I'm about to play is dedicated to a really good friend of mine. I hope he listens to the lyrics carefully." He looked up and locked gazes with Kurt, azure colliding with amber. Both men smiled as Blaine began to strum.

_All this feels strange and untrue_

_And I won't waste a minute without you_

_My bones ache, my skin feels cold_

_And I'm getting so tired and so old_

_The anger swells in my guts_

_And I won't feel these slices and cuts_

_I want so much to open your eyes_

_'Cause I need you to look into mine_

Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes as he sang, his golden eyes pleading. Kurt's brow furrowed in confusion. He wasn't sure what Blaine was trying to tell him through the song.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Get up, get out, get away from these liars_

_'Cause they don't get your soul or your fire_

_Take my hand, knot your fingers through mine_

_And we'll walk from this dark room for the last time_

It finally dawned on Kurt what Blaine was trying to say though the song, what he was saying when he told Kurt that he helped with his song choice. He was telling Kurt to live his dream of becoming an actor. He was telling Kurt that he believed in him, that he supported him, that he was there for him. He felt the tears prickle at the corner of his eyes and a lump form in his throat as an overwhelming feeling of love washed over him. Blaine smiled as he continued to sing, his eyes now filled with achievement.

_Every minute from this minute now_

_We can do what we like anywhere_

_I want so much to open your eyes_

_'Cause I need you to look into mine_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

Blaine's eyes never left Kurt's as he sang, his smile never faltering. The room around Kurt disappeared. He heard nothing but Blaine's guitar strumming and heavenly voice, saw nothing but Blaine's deep molten gold eyes that shone with love and tenderness. Kurt's heart pounded against his ribs and the butterflies in his stomach fluttered frantically as he realized that in that moment he had fallen in love with Blaine Anderson.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

Blaine finally broke his gaze as he went into the instrumental section of the song, head down as he put his heart into it. Kurt couldn't impede the grin that steadily grew on his lips as he repeated the thought over and over in his head. _I'm in love with Blaine Anderson, _he thought. _I fell in love with my best friend._ He almost wanted to laugh, how could he have not seen it sooner? It was obvious that his feelings towards Blaine were much more than platonic; the spark he would feel on his skin whenever Blaine touched him was not normal in friendships. His hand absentmindedly crept up to his cheek where Blaine had kissed him earlier as the gears in his head began to turn. Was his love unrequited? Could Blaine feel the same way about him? He knew that Blaine found him attractive, but that didn't mean he was in _love _with him.

The elated feeling in his chest quickly contracted into one of fear and panic. What if Blaine only saw him as a friend? Or even a brother? Kurt's stomach lurched at the thought. Brothers didn't kiss each other on the cheek, right? He shook his head to clear his thoughts as Blaine finished the song. He could worry about his problem later that night.

_All this feels strange and untrue_

_And I won't waste a minute without you_

The crowd burst into cheers and thunderous applause as Blaine gave a short bow and left the stage, sending Kurt a sunny smile that made his knees go weak. Kurt quietly groaned as he realized that now every little thing that Blaine did was going to affect him ten times more severely than they had prior to his recognition of his feelings. Blaine's naturally flirtatious personality wasn't exactly going to make his life easier either.

――――――

**A/N: The song is 'Open Your Eyes' by Snow Patrol, which as always you should listen to as you read. Oh and also after the premier I just HAD to throw in a Little Numbers reference. I mean come on don't tell me that NONE of you had intense Little Number feels when Kurt said "turn around" IN CENTRAL PARK NONETHELESS. Anyhow, as always pleasepleaseplease send any R/C/I in a review or to my Tumblr! Next chapter is Thanksgiving, and some New Directioners shall make an appearance, so stick around!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: GUYS I GOT MY FIRST FAN ART. This is amazing I'm freaking out. It's now the cover of this story! Made by my supermegafoxyawesomehot friend Dana and can be viewed here: /tagged/coincidence%3a+klaine+fanfic (on Tumblr). If any of you get the urge to draw something for this fic DO. NOT. HESITATE. I will love you forever, no joke. Disclaimer: I own about ten different hair bows, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and The Sound of Music on DVD, but I do not own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter Eight:__ Thursday, November 28__th__, 2024_

A groan of frustration escaped Kurt's lips as he ran a hand through his chestnut brown locks in exasperation. His oceanic eyes were reduced to slits as he glowered at the two formal ensembles that lie side by side on his bed. He and Stephanie were scheduled to arrive at Finn and Rachel's apartment in only two hours, yet Kurt hadn't even selected an outfit. He also still had to style his hair and do his morning moisturizing routine.

Suddenly an idea struck him, making a smile tug at his lips and the butterflies in his stomach stir. He would obviously need an outside opinion, and who better to ask than Blaine? Ever since discovering his feelings the week prior, Kurt had developed a habit of finding any situation that would give him an excuse to interact with Blaine more often. He knew it was slightly immature, maybe even pathetic, but he was too smitten to care. Thoughts of Blaine frequently inundated Kurt's mind; those twinkling eyes and that radiant smile, that infectious laugh and those long sweeping lashes. He felt like he was in high school again, and he honestly wouldn't be surprised if he began scribbling 'Kurt + Blaine' in his notepad at work. Except thankfully, unlike high school, this time he was in love with another gay man and not his stepbrother.

He idly flipped his phone in his palm for a moment, debating whether he should call Blaine or text, before deciding that the situation could be classified as urgent and calling would be reasonable.

"Hello?" Blaine asked after a few rings. Kurt's heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice, which had become a common occurrence.

"I need fashion advice," he admitted, taking a moment to glare at the outfits again.

"_You? _Need _fashion _advice?" Kurt could visualize Blaine's face perfectly; golden eyes wide and disbelieving, a smirk on those full lips.

"Oh hush, you. It's not exactly advice per se, more like an opinion."

"Alright, hit me. How may I assist you?"

"Okay, well, on one hand we have a light gray suit and jade green tie, and on the other hand we have a simple black suit and baby blue tie. I figured either tie would bring out my eyes. Thoughts?"

"Hmmmmm." He could imagine Blaine's adorably furrowed triangular eyebrows and slight pout as he thought. "Black suit and blue tie. The darker suit will make your eyes and tie stand out more."

"Of course! How had I not thought of that? You're the best, you know that?" He balanced the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he ventured to his closet to hang up the gray suit.

"Of course I know." Kurt rolled his eyes as he imagined the signature smirk that would spread across Blaine's face whenever he made cheeky remarks. "May I ask what you're getting so dressed up for?"

"Thanksgiving with Finn and Rachel and the boys, we go every year. Of course since Rachel is the hostess for the day we have to dress up like we're going to the Emmy's, even though it'll just be the six of us." He shook his head as he thought of his sister-in-law. Rachel Berry had never changed since high school, and Kurt doubted that she ever would. Everything in her life still had to be big, bold, and extravagant, and being on Broadway somehow managed to make her personality even more melodramatic.

"That sounds nice though, spending time with your family." The hint of sorrow in Blaine's voice instantaneously snapped Kurt back to reality.

"What do you mean? Don't you spend time with your family for holidays? Your parents? Cooper?"

"We haven't had a family holiday in years. Cooper is always busy with movies and such, and my parents, well…we're not exactly in contact much. It's just Rach and I." Kurt's heart shattered at Blaine's dejected tone. He could tell how much Blaine's distance from his family affected him, and he could tell how much it hurt having to spend countless Christmases and Thanksgivings with only Rachael.

"Well, not this year! I _refuse_ to have you and Rachael sitting in that apartment alone today when you should be with loved ones, and I _know_ you didn't get a turkey because I _know_ you can barely cook, and the thought of you two having Chinese take-out on Thanksgiving personally offends me."

"But Kurt-"

"Nah ah, not gonna hear it. Finn and Rachel won't mind. Actually, I'm sure Rachel will _love_ having a bigger 'audience'. You have two hours before we pick you up, dress formally." He swiftly tapped the end button before Blaine could protest further.

――――――

"I must warn you, Rachel can be a bit...much," Kurt cautioned as they ascended the stairs to Finn and Rachel's luxurious apartment in the Upper East Side. All four of them were dressed to the nines: Kurt wearing the black suit and baby blue tie that Blaine had suggested, Stephanie wearing a satin baby blue bubble dress with a sequined bodice and sapphire blue sash, Rachael wearing a simple plum tulle ballerina dress with a black satin sash that tied into a giant bow in the back, and Blaine in a simple black suit and black bow tie. Kurt had an exceptionally difficult time keeping himself from gawking at Blaine; he had never seen him in a suit and thought he looked positively dashing and impossibly more ravishing than he usually did.

"I'm sure we can handle her," Blaine reassured with a smile that made Kurt swoon. He gave Blaine a look that said 'we'll see' as he loudly rapped on the door, which swung open almost instantaneously.

"KURT, DARLING! It's been ages!" Rachel exclaimed histrionically as she pulled him into a tight hug and swiftly pecked him on each cheek. She was dressed in a tight fire-engine red floor-length satin dress, with high black heels and long white gloves. She also wore a pearl necklace and bright red lipstick, and her long dark hair was piled into an elegant bun on top of her head. Anyone who didn't know Rachel would find it odd that she dressed so extravagantly for something as non-formal as Thanksgiving, but Kurt knew better. He knew how the Broadway fame had somehow managed to boost her already exceptionally high ego, making her behave as if the paparazzi were constantly clicking their cameras in her direction. "And my little angel Stephanie, how wonderful to see you! Look at you, so grown and beautiful!" She swooped down to pull Stephanie into a hug and kissed her on each cheek as well.

"It's good to see you too, Aunt Rachel. You look really pretty," Stephanie commented as she gave her a small smile. Rachel flashed her a toothy grin before turning to Blaine and Rachael.

"And who do we have here? New friends?" Rachel asked as she glanced between them, her blinding yet welcoming grin never fading.

"Hello, Mrs. Berry. My name is Blaine," Blaine greeted politely as he extended his hand, a charming smile on his lips. Kurt's eyes widened in bewilderment; he had never experienced a dapper Blaine before. "This is my daughter, Rachael. I hope us tagging along at the last minute didn't cause you any trouble, I'd hate to impose."

"Nonsense! The more the merrier," Rachel reassured with a wave of her hand as she squatted down to be eye level with Rachael. "And take a look at you! Young yet so breathtakingly gorgeous already! The name Rachel must be good luck, huh?" She flashed her a warm smile, which the amber eyed girl timidly returned. Kurt had forgotten about her shy personality. "Then again for you it seems to had been more genes than luck, just look at your daddy!" She beamed at Blaine, whose cheeks had flushed at the compliment, before standing back up and turning to Kurt.

"They're wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I love them already," she gushed as she grasped his hands in hers. "You two are such an adorable couple!" Kurt and Blaine turned to each other simultaneously with cheeks flaming and eyes wide, instantly stuttering out protests.

"No no it's not like that!"

"We're just friends!"

Their objections were blatantly ignored as Rachel turned away with a devilish smirk on her lips and motioned for them to enter the glamorously adorned apartment. The color scheme in the living room was simple, with multiple shades of dark brown, maroon, tan, cream, and red. The walls were painted a light tan and the floor was dark cherry wood. Most of the floor was covered by an intricately designed light tan rug that matched the walls. Across from where you entered the room from the hallway in front of the window on the far wall were two plush chestnut colored club chairs. To their right facing the left wall was a dark tan equally plush couch with round silky maroon pillows. An exquisite Claude Monet painting hung above it. In front of the couch sat a skillfully crafted mahogany coffee table with various magazines neatly stacked on its surface, the top one starring Rachel on the cover. Across from the club chairs and to the right of the entryway sat a large cream colored entertainment center, with an expensive looking flat screen TV and gaming system in the center and various portraits, books, movies, video games, and awards on the shelves. The living room was very well lighted, with multiple bright red lamps scattered around the room on multiple end tables. More portraits, expensive paintings, and decorations hung on the walls.

"Finn! Boys! Kurt and Stephanie are here!" Rachel called as she gestured for Kurt, Blaine, and the girls to sit on the couch. The Hummels sat down quietly, unfazed by the lavish room, but the Andersons stood rooted to the spot as they gaped at their surroundings. They looked as if they were Lucy arriving in Narnia, with wide awestruck golden eyes and slack jaws. Kurt giggled at their expressions, snapping Blaine out of his trance as he quickly sat down, taking Rachael with him.

"Kurt! It's great to see you, bro! It's been too long," Finn said with his signature dopey grin as he entered the room, his two sons trailing behind him. All three of them were clad in matching black suits and bright red ties. Finn quickly enveloped Kurt in a bone crushing hug that almost broke the shorter man's ribs.

"It's great to see you too, Finn," Kurt wheezed as he slightly pushed away and gasped for air. After playing football in college his stepbrother had somehow become even more massive than he was in high school, his strength doubling. Finn gave him an apologetic smile before turning to greet Stephanie and introduce himself to Blaine and Rachael. His introductions were cut short as his wife asked him to assist her in the kitchen, leaving their two sons to introduce themselves.

Though the two boys looked peculiar similar, with identical chocolate brown eyes and short dark brown hair, there were distinct differences in their posture. The older of the two had an air of arrogance about him. He stood tall with his chin raised, a slight smirk on his lips and a mischievous glint in his eye. The younger boy was almost the complete opposite. He stood slightly slumped over with his hands on his elbows, eyes downcast and filled with timorousness.

"Rachael, Blaine, these are my nephews," Kurt introduced. "Josh," he gestured to the younger boy with an affectionate smile "and Alex." The smile transformed into a scowl as he gestured to the older boy, his voice dripping with disdain. Blaine turned to him with a furrowed brow, obviously confused by his tone. Kurt ignored him as he glowered at his nephew whose smirk grew.

"How _wonderful _to see you, Uncle," Alex said, his voice saturated with sarcasm. "It's been _much _too long." He lifted his arms mockingly as if about to give Kurt a hug, but Kurt smacked his arms away.

"Don't you dare touch me, you little demon," he hissed as he continued to glare at the young boy.

"Kurt!" Blaine gasped; his amber eyes wide with confusion and shock at Kurt's prominent resentment.

"Don't even try to interfere Blaine, they do this every year," Stephanie explained as she rolled her eyes. "Daddy and Alex hate each other, they're always fighting."

"But Kurt, he's just a kid," Blaine protested, his brow furrowed. "Plus I thought you liked Alex, you were looking at his picture with such fondness when you were telling me about how you used to take care of him."

"Awww, admit it Uncle Kurtie! You still wuv me!" Alex teased with a pout before bursting into laughter.

"That's because when he was one he was cute and innocent and most importantly _couldn't talk_," Kurt growled as Alex continued to roar with laughter. He would stop laughing to pout and bat his lashes at Kurt in a mock-cute fashion before erupting with laughter once more. "But now he's nine and the spawn of Satan! Put him in front of mummy or daddy and then he's this sweet little angel, but the moment they leave the room he makes it his personal mission to make my life a living hell."

"Oh come on Kurt he's just a _little kid_, what could he possibly do?" Blaine asked, causing Alex's laughter to abruptly cease.

"Watch it! I'm not little! I'm almost ten!" he snapped, his chocolate eyes filling with rage. "Don't you talk down to _me_ like that! You're in my house now Bow Tie Boy so you better treat me with some respect before I make your life miserable like I do to my failure of an uncle!" Kurt felt a sharp pain in his chest and winced at the word 'failure'. Blaine stood absolutely speechless with a flabbergasted expression.

"HEY! Don't you _dare _talk to my daddy or Kurt like that!" Rachael snapped fiercely, causing Kurt to whip his head towards her in bewilderment. He had never seen her lose her temper before. "I don't know who you think you are but don't you ever talk to either of them like that ever again! They're adults and you're just a kid so you better learn your place! And also Kurt is anything _but_ a failure, he's one of the greatest people I know!" Kurt felt tears prickling at the corner of his eyes as a wave of adoration for Rachael washed over him. He had previously thought that it was impossible to love her more than he already did, but the way she had her tiny shaking fists clenched and fiery eyes wild as she defended him made him love her ten times more.

Alex stared at her with wide chestnut brown eyes, eyebrows high on his forehead and cheeks flushed. He stood silently for a few long moments before awkwardly clearing his throat and casting his eyes downward, his cheeks quickly beginning to glow a rosy pink. "I, um," he stuttered, looking anywhere but at Rachael. Kurt cocked an eyebrow at his nephew; he had definitely not seen this awkward sheepish side of Alex before. "I-I should go see if my mom needs help or something." He finally glanced at Rachael, his eyes filled with an emotion Kurt couldn't place, before fleeing the room. _How peculiar, _Kurt thought, taken aback by his nephew's bizarre actions.

Alex's departure left the room in an uncomfortable silence. Josh fidgeted for a moment before quietly coughing, the first sound he had made since entering the room. "Hey buddy, you didn't think I forgot about you, did you? How could I ever forget my favorite nephew?" Kurt asked softly as he kneeled down in front of the small child, an affectionate smile on his lips. He pulled him into his arms, giving him a quick squeeze before lifting him and turning to Blaine and Rachael. "Josh, these are our friends Blaine and Rachael. Say hello!"

"Hello Blaine and Rachael," Josh mumbled in a tiny quivering voice. He gave them a small wave before burrowing his face into Kurt's neck, making Kurt chuckle quietly and rub the boy's back.

"He's only five, and he's terribly shy, " Kurt explained, shaking his head and smiling. "But once you get to know him he's a complete sweetheart."

"Yeah, Josh is great! I don't know why he's so shy all the time," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes at her cousin. "Come on Josh, let's go play with Rachael! You don't have to be scared of her." Josh eyed Rachael uncertainly for a moment before slightly nodding his head and allowing himself to be lowered to the ground and dragged out of the room by Stephanie.

――――――

As usual, Rachel had gone all out with Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner table looked as if it had been brought to life from out of a magazine. In the center of the table sat the largest turkey Kurt had ever seen, rich golden brown and practically bursting with stuffing. Accompanying the turkey were massive bowls of cloudlike mashed potatoes topped with thick gravy, different kinds of vibrant vegetables, steaming freshly baked rolls, homemade cranberry sauce, succulent yams with a gooey marshmallow topping, and various types of crisp fresh salad. Though there were only six of them it was enough food to feed a family of at least ten.

"Rachel, you never fail to impress me with your Thanksgiving feasts," Kurt said with a laugh as he sat down at the table, his mouth watering from the intoxicating aromas floating around the room, his stomach bellowing for food.

"Everything looks absolutely delicious, Rachel. I had no idea you were gifted in the kitchen _and _on stage," Blaine commented with an enchanting smile as he sat down next to Kurt and Stephanie sat across from him, earning a blinding grin from Rachel in return. Finn and Rachel had taken to Blaine quicker than Kurt would have imagined. Blaine's flattering words made Rachel nothing more than putty in his hands in an instant, and his extensive knowledge of college football was what won Finn over. His charming and polite personality only made them adore him even more, and Kurt was surprised that they hadn't asked him and Rachael to move in yet. Sadly, Rachel loving Blaine only made her badger Kurt about their friendship at every given opportunity.

"I _know _you like him, Kurt. Don't even try to lie to me! Whenever you look at him you get that same look on your face as you did when you had that obsession with Finn in high school," she had said when they were alone in the kitchen mashing potatoes. "And I don't blame you! He's perfect, absolutely flawless, and if you don't marry him I swear to Streisand _I_ will! He recognizes my talents much more than even Finn does."

"Rachel, I am going to say this once and only once, Blaine and I are just _friends,_" Kurt had sighed, becoming increasingly irritated by his sister-in-law by the second. "Even if I do like him, which alright fine yes I _do _like him if you _must _know, we're merely friends. That's what he sees me as, a friend."

"Like hell he does! Kurt Hummel that man is head over heels for you, I see it in his eyes when he looks at you! He looks at you like you're the most beautiful thing he's ever seen." She had sighed dreamily as a starry-eyed expression washed over her face. "It reminds me of this show that I was in just a few months ago." Kurt had tuned her out the moment she started chattering about the play she had starred in about two star-crossed lovers.

He was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of a chair scraping beside him. He turned with a smile expecting to see Rachael or Josh, but that smile quickly morphed into a look of pure horror as he was met with the sight of the smirking face of Alex. "Hi Uncle Kurt! Do you mind if I sit next to you?" he asked loudly in the innocent voice that he used around his parents. Kurt threw him a bitch glare before turning to Rachel and Finn, who were at the head of the table next to Blaine and smiling adoringly at Alex as they watched him pout at Kurt.

"Why, of course not!" Kurt exclaimed in the best cheerful voice he could manage. He smiled brightly at Finn and Rachel before glaring at Alex, whose smirk had returned. The smirk vanished and was replaced with a wide eyed expression as Rachael began to walk around the table to sit beside Stephanie.

"Rachael, wait!" he called, causing the girl to turn around, her golden eyes wide and curious. His brain seemed to short circuit under her stare, his mouth hanging open a bit and the blood beginning to rush to his cheeks. "U-Um, you can, um, sit next to m-me if you want…" He cast his eyes downwards, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Kurt's eyes widened in absolute shock, he had never seen Alex act anything _close _to the way that he was acting. He had noticed the way that Alex's eyes would constantly flicker over to Rachael as she played with Stephanie or Josh, but he simply shrugged it off and didn't question his nephew's reasons. Rachael stared at Alex for a moment, the blood rushing to her cheeks as well as she nodded and sat down beside him.

"Nice stutter," Kurt whispered with a smirk so only Alex could hear.

"Shut up, old man," Alex growled, causing Kurt to whip his head towards his nephew, cerulean eyes flashing dangerously.

"Old man?! I'm still in my twenties!" he hissed, not wanting to cause a scene and attract the attention of Rachel and Finn who were deep in conversation.

"Yeah, 1920s."

"That doesn't even make sense! You little-" He was cut off by the feeling of Blaine's hand on his knee. He clamped his mouth shut as he felt his cheeks begin to glow at the contact.

"Not now Kurt, we're at the dinner table. Don't let him get to you," Blaine breathed into his ear, hindering Kurt's ability of speech. He nodded jerkily as he put Alex out of his mind and began to fill his plate with a bit of everything. It only took a few moments for him to finally relax and begin to devour the delicious food as the table began to fill with chatter. The four adults talked about the latest happenings while Josh and Stephanie were having a tremendously one-sided conversation about Disney movies. Alex was vivaciously telling Rachael about all of the adventures he had gone on with his friends, making the amber eyed girl laugh as he gesticulated wildly. Kurt was intrigued by the way the two communicated, especially by how Alex seemed to become an entirely different person. He noticed subtle differences in Rachael as well; she seemed to giggle much more and had a smile that never faltered when she was near him. As much as Alex made Kurt want to rip out all of his hair, he was genuinely pleased to see the two young children making each other so happy. He could see seeds of love beginning to blossom between them.

He smirked as Rachael excused herself to go to the bathroom. Just because he was happy for Alex didn't mean he wasn't going to hang his crush over his head as long as possible. _My moment for revenge has finally surfaced,_ he thought elatedly as he leaned over so only Alex could hear him.

"I never took you as the type to go for younger girls, you _do _realize she's only seven, don't you?" he taunted, reveling in the way Alex's cheeks began to color at his words. "Then again her maturity level is basically triple yours."

"Shut the hell up, old man. Blaine looks like he's half your age," Alex growled, his cheeks darkening further.

"How many times do I have to tell you? _I'm in my twenties_! Blaine being half my age would make him barely fifteen! Wow, not only is she more mature but she's better at basic math than you," Kurt bit back sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. He knew he was being immensely immature for his age, harassing a nine year old, but he was well past caring. He finally had something he could use as revenge for years of agitation, and he was not going to let this golden opportunity pass.

"Don't you have an audition to go fail or something? I know all about how no play wants you in it because you have no talent. I hear my mom comfort you over the phone when you go crying to her like the little baby you are," Alex hissed coldly, his chocolate eyes hard. Kurt felt himself begin to tremble with rage as he stared at Alex with wide eyes. Alex had gone too far this time. "And furthermore, how can you possibly make fun of me for having a crush on Rachael when you've been drooling over Blaine all day like some kind of desperate dog? You're so hopelessly in love it's pathetic."

Kurt froze for a moment before whipping around to look at Blaine, praying that he hadn't overheard. He silently sighed with relief as he saw that he was engrossed in conversation with Finn about his opinion on the latest video game console. He turned back to Alex to find his signature smirk on his lips. "I despise you, you know that?"

"The feeling's mutual, grandpa."

"I hope you step on one of your legos. Barefoot!"

"I hope they cancel Project Runway!"

"TAKE THAT BACK!" He quickly slapped his hand over his mouth, but it was too late. He slowly turned to the rest of the table to see four sets of wide and confused eyes staring back at him. "Um…" The gears in his head turned at breakneck speed as he tried to think of a lie. "The little rascal was trying to give me his vegetables! He tried sneaking them onto my plate when I wasn't looking!" He turned to Alex with a forced overly-bright smile. "Take that back!" he repeated as he pointed to one of the carrots on his plate, his eyes silently pleading for Alex to play along.

"Sorry, Uncle Kurt. I was just getting really full and couldn't eat another bite of mommy's carrots," Alex said in a sickeningly sweet innocent voice as he turned to his parents and flashed them his best set of puppy dog eyes. They shook their heads affectionately at their son before continuing with their conversation, but Blaine eyed Kurt and Alex distrustfully, not buying their act for a second. Kurt flashed him an apologetic look before turning back to his food, and Blaine sighed before doing the same.

"You're a failure as an actor and your life will never result to anything," Alex whispered, barely loud enough for Kurt to hear, but making him freeze mid-bite as the words hit him like a sack of bricks in his chest. He slowly set his fork back down as the words already began to replay in his head like a broken record. He placed a hand over his mouth and shook his head, trying to dispel the tears that were now threatening to spill over. _Don't cry, don't you dare cry, not here, not now, _he thought as shot up out of his chair and briskly walked out of the room. He walked right past Rachael who was standing in the doorway and ignored the confused calls of his name from the dinner table. The tears now blurred his vision as he heard the sound of a chair scraping against the wooden floor and the sound of footsteps following him. Suddenly, a warm hand was grasping his and pulling him into a room. He heard the door click behind them as a pair of strong loving arms enveloped him, a hand stroking his hair and a soft voice quietly shushing him as he began to sob.

"What happened, what did he say?" Blaine asked softly into his ear, his voice filled with concern.

"I-It's stupid," Kurt hiccupped, shaking his head. "I'm a g-grown man I shouldn't let a n-nine year old make me c-cry. This is so p-pathetic I'm so embarrassed."

"No no, Kurt, it's okay to be upset, don't be embarrassed," Blaine cooed sympathetically as if consoling a small child, which only compounded Kurt's humiliation. "It's okay to just snap every once in a while, it all just adds up sometimes. Now please tell me what he said."

Kurt hesitated before speaking in barely a whisper. "He told me that I had no talent, and that I was a failure as an actor, and that my life would never result to anything," he mumbled as he buried his face into Blaine's shoulder. He felt Blaine tense beneath him before holding Kurt at arm's length, tears swimming in his glowing golden eyes.

"Did he really say that?" he asked, his voice sounding sad and broken. Kurt nodded as he wiped the tears off of his cheeks, his eyes downcast and avoiding Blaine's gaze. Blaine stayed silent a moment before placing his hands on Kurt's, applying slight pressure until Kurt looked up at him and into his smoldering golden eyes. "Kurt, he's wrong. He's just plain wrong. Don't listen to a word of what he says. He's nine he has no idea what he's talking about, and even if he was some prestigious theatre critic he'd still be wrong. You are going to accomplish such amazing things, I know you will. Those casting directors just don't seem to see the potential and true greatness in you that I see. Remember that song I sang at the diner? I meant every word of it. 'Get up, get out, get away from these liars, 'cause they don't get your soul or your fire', remember?" He squeezed Kurt's shoulder with his free hand reassuringly as he said this, flashing him a bright genuine smile. He looked so breathtakingly beautiful that Kurt couldn't help but let out a choked sob before pulling him into a hug and clutching onto him, reveling in the way Blaine's hand automatically began to stroke his hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes, simply holding on to each other, before they realized that they had been gone from the dinner table for an extensively long time.

"Come on, let's go out there and finish dinner. I don't know about you but I am dying to try some of that homemade pumpkin pie that Rachel made," Kurt said with a smile as he slid his hand into Blaine's and led him out of the room and down the hall to the dining room. "It's my favorite."

"What a coincidence," Blaine replied as he turned to Kurt with sparking amber eyes. "It's mine too."

――――――

**A/N: Holy. Fricken. Crap. I was NOT expecting that chapter to be that long, over 5k words! Wow, I'm sitting here shellshocked guys. I think I have an addiction with angsty Kurt and comforting Blaine…but I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Especially the little romance between Rachael and Alex! Well as always reviews/criticism/ideas can be sent to my inbox on Tumblr (same name) or here! Next chapter we get a little plot twist, sort of. Stay tuned lovelies, and stay wonderful~**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Woah, quick update this time! Okay so for once almost NONE of you sent a review about last chapter, and that really worries me, but this story did gain over ten followers so I'm not sure if you guys just like the story but not that chapter? Or you guys had no comments? You're giving me mixed signals and I'm not sure what to do! Disclaimer: I own my own computer (FINALLY.), glow-in-the-dark Pokémon magnets, and a lava lamp, but I do not own Glee.**

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_Chapter Nine:__ Wednesday, December 4__th__, 2024_

Kurt could not believe how immensely jam-packed it was at Diner Dash, on a Wednesday nonetheless. It had gotten to the point that they had to start sending people away at the door, since for the first time in the three years that Kurt had worked there every single table and stool was occupied. To make things even more problematic, Santana had called in sick that day, which made them short a staff member. Kurt was absolutely exhausted, and couldn't wait until his shift was over so he could just swing by McLennon Elementary to pick up Stephanie and then take a nice relaxing bath the moment he arrived home.

"Kurt, come here for a minute?" Carrie, his manager, called from behind the counter. He sighed as he turned away from the toddler that was vivaciously making a mess of his macaroni and cheese, a mess that Kurt was sure he would be responsible for cleaning up later. It was rare for Carrie to have to come into the diner, she was a very busy young woman and usually had many other errands to take care of, but the day was so hectic that she was forced to come in and actually start waiting on tables herself.

"Yes? Is something wrong?" Kurt asked, noticing the way she was nervously biting her lower lip, her dark eyes downcast.

"Well, sort of. I have to ask a favor of you, and you're not going to like it," she admitted as she began to play with the ends of her long silky hair.

"Alright, what is it?" he sighed, expecting her to tell him that she needed him to clean up after a customer, a task that she knew he despised. He couldn't believe how huge a mess someone could make in a measly ten minutes.

"I need you to do some overtime today, perhaps just an hour or two? With Santana gone we're going to need as many capable hands as we can get. I really hate to ask this of you sweetie, I really do. I know how hard it is with Stephanie but there's nothing else I can do," she said as she took his hand in hers, her eyes shining with compassion and regret. Kurt loved Carrie, he genuinely did, and he couldn't believe how blessed he was to have such an understanding manager, but it was for this very reason that he had a challenging time saying no to her. He couldn't just tell her that he couldn't stay, that he had to pick up his daughter. He desperately needed his job, and though she would never do it willingly, he knew that Carrie would fire him if he gave her a worthy enough reason too.

"Sure, no problem honey," he found himself saying with a forced smile. The thought of him losing his job and him and Stephanie becoming homeless was all the incentive he needed to stay. _Please just wait for me Stephie, _he prayed as he walked away from the counter to continue his shift. _Please just hold on until I get there._

――――――

Kurt tapped the steering wheel ceaselessly as he barreled down the street towards the elementary school. He had ended up staying at the diner for an extra two hours, and the moment Carrie had told him he could go he had sprinted out of the building before she could even finish her sentence. He had nearly killed himself as he raced towards the school, also breaking numerous laws. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he arrived, but that sigh caught in his throat as he realized the grounds were deserted. He whipped his head around, searching frantically for any sign of his daughter, but saw none. There weren't even any cars in the parking lot.

"No," he whispered as he yanked his seat belt off and leaped out of the car, not bothering to turn off the engine as he took off towards the gates. "No." He repeated the word over and over as he sprinted to her classroom, which he found deserted. "No!" He repeated the word more hysterically as he checked the playground, the basketball courts, the cafeteria, the halls, the bathrooms, the office, the library, only to find all of them also deserted. Kurt knew that every Wednesday the staff had meetings afterschool, so he knew there was no one around for him to ask if they'd seen Stephanie. His heart began to pound in his chest and his breathing became ragged with panic. She wasn't there. His head began to spin as he leaned against a wall for support, a shaking hand covering his mouth as his whole body began to tremble. Stephanie wasn't there. She was gone.

The worst possible scenarios instantaneously began to attack his mind, making him tremble more violently. What if someone had seen her sitting alone and told her they were from his work and were there to pick her up? What if someone had offered her a ride home? She was such a sweet and trusting girl that she could have easily been hoodwinked into a stranger's car. As bright as she was for her age, she was still only six. What if she had tried walking home by herself? She had such an autonomous personality she could have easily believed that she could find her own way home. What if when she attempted to find her own way home she had gotten lost? The thoughts of his six year old daughter lost in New York City snapped Kurt back to reality. He had to find her. The longer he stood there, the longer she was out there alone. He ran back to his car with an overwhelming feeling of tenacity, he was going to find his daughter if it was the last thing he did.

He checked every possible place he could think of: the park where they had met Blaine and Rachael, the grocery store that they would go to together every week, the pet store that had the puppies Stephanie loved to visit when they went on walks, the coffee shop that sold the delicious hot chocolate that they drank together on cold days, the little bakery where Stephanie loved to go to admire the tiny well-designed cakes, but she was nowhere to be found. The feeling of tenacity quickly transformed into a feeling of terror as the minutes ticked by, he had been searching for over an hour and still had no clue as to his daughter's whereabouts. With a heavy feeling of despair in his chest, he slowly pulled into his apartment and shut off the engine. He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he slammed his forehead onto it with a hard _thud_ and let out a choked sob. His body began to tremble violently once more as a tsunami of anguish washed over him.

_I've lost her. I've lost my daughter, just because I didn't want to get fired from my stupid fucking job, _he thought despondently as his grip on the steering wheel tightened even further and he gritted his teeth. Memories flashed through his mind like a movie stuck on fast forward. Stephanie coming home from the hospital, Kurt holding her for the first time, the first time she called him 'daddy', the first time they baked cookies together, her first day at school, her smile that would brighten his day, her laugh that he loved so dearly, those sparkling cerulean eyes that matched his and reminded him that that darling little perfect blessing was _his _and no one else's. Now she was gone. His little ball of sunshine, his light at the end of the dark tunnel that he had been in for so many years, was gone. He could feel the familiar overwhelming feeling of blackness shroud him as he sat in the driver's seat of his car, unable to move.

After a few minutes, as if he was set on autopilot, he found himself slowly unbuckling his seat belt and making his way up to his apartment. His body felt numb, he couldn't even cry. The world felt dark and empty. He slowly unlocked his door and stepped inside; wanting nothing more but to just lay down in his bed and slip into an eternal sleep.

"Hi Daddy! What took you so long?" a little voice asked, causing Kurt's head to snap up and his heart to stop. There, standing a few feet in front of him, was Stephanie; a giant beaming smile spread across her face.

"S-Stephanie?" Kurt whispered, still unable to breathe as the tears began to stream relentlessly down his cheeks.

"Daddy? Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes glistening with concern. Kurt let out a choked sob as he fell to his knees and pulled his daughter towards him, clinging to her as he violently sobbed with relief. She was there, she was okay, and she was safe. He could feel her stroking his hair comfortingly as he cried.

"I was so worried, I thought I lost you, I love you so much," he choked out between sobs. He could feel her nodding against his shoulder as she continued to stroke his hair.

"I'm okay, Daddy. Everything's okay. Shh, it's okay Daddy," she crooned. Kurt held her tighter as his crying began to cease. As he calmed down he realized that they weren't alone in the room. He glanced up to find Blaine watching them, his eyes filled with surprise and bewilderment. Kurt felt a sudden pang of fury at the sight of him.

"Why did you take her?" he growled, his oceanic eyes icy.

"Wh-what?" Blaine asked, his eyes widening in fear of Kurt's evident wrath.

"Why did you take her?" Kurt repeated, his voice rising with irritation at Blaine's confusion. "My daughter! You took her! From the school! You took her! Why would you do that? Do you have any idea how scared _shitless _I was, Blaine? I thought someone had abducted her! I thought I had lost her!"

"No Kurt it's not like that, I can explain!" Blaine said frantically, his eyes widening even more.

"Explain," Kurt hissed, his rage steadily building.

"I took the day off and had gone to pick up Rachael, and then I saw Stephanie," Blaine explained. "I asked her where you were and she said you were on your way but running a bit late, and I couldn't just _leave _her there, so we all waited for you. An hour went by and you still hadn't shown up, so I decided to just take her home myself. I knew where your spare key was, so I let us in and we've been waiting for you here ever since."

"And it never came across your mind to _tell me any of this_?" Kurt demanded, eyes wild. "You didn't even bother to _call me_? I've been searching everywhere for her for over an hour and you've just been keeping her here the _entire time_?"

"I was going to, but my phone was dead! And I would have used your house phone but I don't have your number memorized!" Blaine explained, obviously terrified and his hands raised in surrender.

"_You had no right taking her_!" Kurt shrieked, causing Rachael to enter the room to see what the commotion was about.

"Daddy, stop," Stephanie pleaded, but Kurt ignored her as he continued to screech at Blaine who was frozen in place by Kurt's ferocity.

"You can't just take her like that! That's _kidnapping_, Blaine! Who the _hell _do you think you are? You're _not _family, even if we act like you are! You're _not _her father, I am! _I'm _her father!" He continued to cling onto Stephanie protectively as he said this, his eyes still wild as he breathed heavily. Blaine stood speechless, his golden eyes wide with hurt and shock.

"Kurt?" Rachael asked quietly. Kurt turned to her, his eyes immediately softening as he saw hers were wet with tears and filled with fright. He felt a pang of guilt as he looked into her eyes, he didn't mean to upset her with his outburst. "Why don't you hire a nanny, like Daddy does for me? That way she can pick Stephie up for you and you don't have to worry about it."

Kurt's grip on Stephanie loosened as the remaining embers of his rage went out. "Because we can't afford it," he mumbled; eyes downcast and arms falling limply to his side.

"Oh, that's no problem!" Blaine said, his eyes lighting up the way they did when he got ideas. "Our nanny Bekah has really good rates and I'm sure we could work-"

"No, Blaine! You don't understand!" Kurt snapped, causing the light in Blaine's eyes to instantly go out. "We _can't afford it_! We're broke, okay? The secret's out! That's why we can never go to the movies or museums or do other activities with you two, because we _can't afford it_! We can't _afford _those little luxuries, okay?"

Blaine stood speechless once more, taken aback by the confession. "Kurt, why didn't you tell me?" he asked; his voice small and amber eyes filled with hurt and confusion. "You know you can be honest with me about anything. I could have helped you; it wouldn't have been a problem. I could have paid for those little outings if money was that tight, I wouldn't have minded."

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you, I didn't want help," Kurt explained, his anger diminished and voice small. "I didn't want you to worry, or feel obligated to help us. I didn't want you stressing out over whether our bills were being paid or not. I didn't want to be a burden." He averted his eyes from Blaine as he said this, not wanting to see the sympathy that he knew would be in Blaine's eyes.

"Move in with us," Blaine blurted out, causing Kurt's head to snap up towards him in shock. Blaine also looked stunned by his suggestion, but his startled expression turned into one of earnestness and resolve as he thought over his words. "Move in with us. We have an extra room, which can be yours, and Stephanie and Rachael can share a room. We can split the bills so you wouldn't be a burden at all, you'd actually be helping us! Plus our apartment is bigger, so you wouldn't have to get rid of much. Also Stephanie will always have a ride home because of Bekah, she'd never be alone. We can do it when the girls go on winter break. I know that's only a week and a half from now, but we'll help you pack!"

Kurt stared at Blaine in astonishment, it was such an absurd idea, but the more he thought it over the more it made sense. As Blaine had said, it _would _be helping them out, and the idea of Stephanie always being around someone was exceptionally appealing. Most importantly, Kurt couldn't deny he trusted Blaine. Though he had only known the man for a little under two months, he couldn't refute that he trusted Blaine more than he had ever thought possible. The thought of the four of them living together sounded completely irrational, but to Kurt it amazingly didn't sound as irrational as he would have presumed. "But, that's so soon. I'd have to break my lease," Kurt protested weakly, not wanting to jump into anything so drastic so quickly.

"I'll pay the fee for you!" Blaine exclaimed, his golden eyes shining with excitement. "It can be a welcoming gift! I'll pay for the transportation of your belongings too, it won't cost you a thing! So is it a yes? Will you move in with us?" Kurt hesitated; it was such a massive decision. He turned to Stephanie and saw her azure eyes also shining in excitement; he should have known she would be fully supportive to the idea. She was practically bouncing in place by the idea of moving in with her best friend, and the same applied for Rachael. A deep sigh escaped Kurt's lips, for there was no way he was going to be able to object. He was so emotionally drained from the day's events that there was no fight left in him.

"Fine," he sighed, causing the trio to explode into cheers of exuberance. "We're in."

――――――

**A/N: Some-what shortish chapter, but it's basically a filler. Next chapter though guys, NEXT CHAPTER oh hoh hoh shit is goin' down. Another song is on its way, and, ahem, a little something else that I'm sure you all will be QUITE happy about(; As always R/C/I can be sent to my Tumblr or here! Please please please send reviews, your support helps me write so much! Oh and on a final note, October 4****th**** is fast approaching. For those of you who for some reason don't know what I mean by that, may the odds be ever in your favor. For those of you that DO know what I mean by that, may the odds be ever in your favor also. Stay tuned lovelies, and stay glorious~ **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Dear lord I haven't updated in over two weeks, I'm so sorry everyone! I recently joined a Klaine RP on Facebook, so that plus the five projects in school I have leaves me with like NO writing time. Sophomore year = no bueno. But on a happier note, this story has reached over 100 followers! Can I just, let me just, -pulls a Darren Criss and hugs you all through the computer- I love you all. And finally, after last episode's scarring events, this chapter shall be 100% unadulterated sickly sweet FLUFF. We all need some fluff right now. Disclaimer: I own rainbow suspenders, a Spongebob poster, and all three Panic! At The Disco albums, but I do not own Glee.**

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_Chapter Ten: __Sunday, December 15__th__, 2024_

"Oh no. No way Anderson, no way in hell," Kurt declared as he froze in the living room, eyes gleaming with repugnance and transfixed on the rocking chair sitting next to the couch.

"No way what?" Blaine asked with a frown as he came into the room behind him, large cardboard box in hand.

"Look at that chair! Are you serious?"

"…What's wrong with my chair?"

"Blaine, it's _tangerine orange_. I cannot live with a _tangerine orange _chair. I will not be able to sleep knowing there is a _tangerine orange _rocking chair on the other side of my door. The rest of the room has such a flawless color scheme, why would you tarnish such perfection with that monstrosity?" It was the day before Kurt and Stephanie were to officially move in with the Andersons, and the first time Kurt had seen the apartment himself. For the past week and a half Blaine had practically taken complete control of the moving process, barely letting Kurt take part and insisting it was the least he could do since it was his idea. Kurt actually hadn't minded being able to relax while Blaine had everything taken care of, but it had left the appearance of his new home a complete mystery.

Stephanie hadn't been exaggerating when she claimed that their household looked like 'one of those fancy apartments you see in the movies'. The Anderson's Manhattan apartment had large windows that gave you an outstanding view of the city, and sophisticated yet simple furniture and decorations (besides the rocking chair). It was also unexpectedly spacious, every room being much larger than the rooms at the Hummel's previous residence. The apartment had a welcoming and comfortable feel about it, which Kurt was very pleased about. He was especially thrilled about being able to add his own personal flair to the apartment, which Blaine did not only suggest but encouraged zealously. Though Kurt was delighted with the place as a whole, the color of the rocking chair was something that he refused to tolerate.

"But orange is a nice color, I love orange! Plus that chair was a gift from my nana; I've had it for years. It's comfy," Blaine protested with a pout, his puppy dog eyes beginning to glisten. Kurt simply narrowed his eyes at him, his immunity to Blaine's signature puppy dog pout had grown remarkably stronger. He held Blaine's gaze until the shorter man sighed in defeat. "Alright, you win. We'll get a new chair, but I'm still keeping this one in storage!" Suddenly his golden eyes shined with excitement as an idea struck him. "How about we head over to Ikea right now? We could look for one together, it'll be fun! I'll pay for it so it can be like a housewarming gift! Then afterwards you and I can go out to dinner to celebrate you and Stephie moving in! It'll be my treat!"

"Blaine, you _not_ _only_ invited us to live in your house, but you also paid for _everything _and basically moved us in _for _us. I don't think I can handle much more hospitality," Kurt argued with a shake of his head. He knew Blaine was naturally a generous person, but that didn't stop him from becoming almost overwhelmed by just how munificent he could be.

"Come on Kurt, let me take you out! It can just be you and I, I can have Bekah come over and watch Stephie and Rach for us so we can just relax. Don't you dare lie to me and tell me that doesn't sound appealing," he said with a smirk. Kurt bit his bottom lip as he played with the hem of his shirt. The thought of spending the night with Blaine, alone, was definitely more than simply _appealing_.

"Are you sure Bekah will be okay with just coming over like that?" he asked. "It's a tad last minute, don't you think?" Blaine shot him a look that said 'watch this' as he whipped out his phone and put it on speaker as it rang.

"Blaaiine!" a voice sang out after a few rings. "What's up, puddin' cup?"

"Bekahhhh!" Blaine sang back, a wide smile on his face. "My angel, my savior, my gorgeous miracle!"

"I can already tell by the flattery that you need me to come over to watch my little Rachael, am I correct?" she asked.

"Not only does she have beauty, but brains too!" Blaine exclaimed dramatically, making the girl laugh. "You can read me like a book, my love. Do you think you can come over in about ten minutes? Oh, and can you also watch my friend Kurt's daughter Stephanie too? You'll love her, she's a sweetheart. I'll pay you double!"

"Ah yes, the _legendary_ Kurt that I've heard oh so much about," she mocked, a smirk evident in her tone. Kurt could feel the blood begin to color his cheeks, and could see the same applied for Blaine. "No problem, honey. I'm on my way right now!"

――――――

"Hey Blaine, what do you think of this chair here? The color would go fabulously with the couch," Kurt commented, turning towards where the curly haired man had been standing beside him but finding him gone. "Blaine?" He scanned the store until he found Blaine a few pieces of furniture behind him, watching Kurt with a bored to death expression and lying upside down on a couch with his ankles hooked onto the back. A few customers passed by and flashed him bemused glances, but he didn't seem to notice. "Blaine?..What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm booored," Blaine groaned with a pout. "I thought shopping was going to be fun, but you seem to find it necessary to look at every single chair in this store. We've been here for almost two hours."

"I just want to make sure we get the perfect one. Also, contrary to the beliefs of five year olds such as yourself, furniture shopping isn't _supposed _to be fun," Kurt replied as he rolled his eyes.

"You mean five and a _half_ year olds, and that doesn't mean it _can't_ be fun! Come on Kurt we're in _Ikea_ do you have any idea how many fun things we can do here? There are _tons _of possibilities!" Blaine exclaimed as he swung his legs around so he could sit properly.

"Blaine, you _do _realize that we are A, two grown men, and B, in a furniture store not Chuck-E-Cheese?" Kurt asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Kurt, you _do_ realize that A, fun doesn't have an age limit and B, Chuck-E-Cheese sucks?" Blaine mocked as he rolled his eyes. "Come on, I'll show you what I mean." He stood up and grabbed Kurt's hand, automatically causing the taller man to blush as usual, as he pulled him to the section of the store that was set up with model kitchens. Blaine released his hold on his hand as he walked up to the oven in an old-fashioned kitchen, leaving Kurt leaning against the kitchen table and watching him with eyebrows raised, intrigued by his intentions. Blaine flashed him a smile and a wink before opening the oven door. He then burst into a fit of high pitched fake coughing as he frantically fanned at the oven with a dish towel.

"Dear heavens! My turkey!" he exclaimed in a high feminine voice as he batted at the fake smoke and continued to cough. His voice had a thick Southern accent. "Darn this blasted contraption! Now Imma have to go and call up a handyman." He turned to Kurt with puppy dog eyes on full blast as he said this, causing Kurt to shake his head before deciding to play along.

"Would you like some assistance, little lady?" he asked in the best Southern accent he could manage, his voice dropping a few octaves. He ambled up next to Blaine with his thumbs in his belt loops as he peered into the oven. "Seems to be busted, but I can have it fixed faster than a barefoot jackrabbit on a hot greasy griddle in the middle of August. I'll even do it free of charge." He shot Blaine a wink, eliciting a high pitched giggle from the shorter man.

"Why, that's _awfully_ kind of ya, mister. I sure do wish I had a _big strong _man like you around to help fix up whatever needs fixin'. I do get pretty lonesome sometimes," Blaine replied as he ducked his head bashfully and looked up at Kurt through his long dark lashes. Kurt stood wide eyed, his brain short circuiting. How could Blaine manage to play a girl so _attractively_? Blaine's face split into a blinding grin as he grabbed Kurt by the hand once more and led him towards the section set up with living rooms. Kurt, taking the lead this time, plopped down on the couch, languidly setting his feet on the coffee table as he reached for the remote and Blaine sat down beside him.

"Man, our team is shit this year," Kurt muttered with a fake yawn as he sluggishly slung his arm around Blaine's shoulder, doing the best impression of Finn he could manage.

"Finn, why are we watching sports? Don't you want to watch my latest phenomenal performance?" Blaine whined in a remarkably impressive imitation of Rachel as he leaned into Kurt and rested his head on his shoulder, looking up into Kurt's eyes imploringly as he melodramatically pouted. "I play an ambitious Jewish girl from Lima, Ohio. I sing my heart out every ten minutes about all of my life problems just because my dreadful glee club teacher doesn't give me every single solo. It's truly a heart wrenching tale! I find that I weep simply thinking about it." He dabbed the corner of his eyes with the hem of his shirt.

"Do you also have a jock boyfriend that you break up with and then get back together with every few months?" Kurt asked, unable to hide his smirk.

"Why yes, I do! Oh Finny you're not nearly as dumb as you look," Blaine replied, his eyes glistening with adoration as he gently stroked Kurt's cheek. Kurt bit his lip as he silently shook with laughter, trying desperately to stay in character.

"Oh Rachel, I love you," he managed to choke out, biting down on his lip with more force as he shook harder.

"Not as much as I do," Blaine sighed dreamily as he continued to stroke Kurt's cheek, causing Kurt's composure to crumble as both men erupted with laughter. They fell back against the cushions, clutching their sides as tears began to roll down their cheeks. After a few minutes and countless bewildered glances from people passing by, their laughter died down, leaving both men panting as they smiled up at the ceiling.

"Okay, I was wrong, Ikea is immensely fun," Kurt admitted, earning a whoop of triumph from Blaine. They spent the next two hours making complete fools of themselves, coming up with various skits that always ended with them leaning against each other for support as they howled with laughter. Kurt couldn't remember the last time he had acted so downright childish, or the last time he had completely lost his inhibitions. He even found himself sliding into a model kitchen in his socks and as Blaine sung along to "Old Time Rock and Roll", amusing the small children watching them. The other customers and Ikea employees didn't seem to find their antics as amusing, and for the first time in his life Kurt found himself being forced out of a store, but he couldn't care less. He felt lightheaded and giddy, almost as if he were drunk, but he hadn't consumed a drop of alcohol.

They immediately headed over to Casentini's, an Italian restaurant that Blaine heard had great reviews. The moment they stepped inside they both froze in awe, the setting was literally _breathtaking_. It was a small quaint restaurant with hardwood floors. Pictures of Italian landscapes hung on the cream colored walls. Orange lanterns hung from the ceiling, bathing the establishment in a soft orange-ish yellow glow. Soft music played from a string quartet situated in the corner of the room. The atmosphere in the room was exceptionally classy, and Kurt instantaneously found himself feeling tremendously underdressed.

"I wish you would have told me how high class this place is, I would have dressed up more," Kurt stage whispered to Blaine as they were escorted to their table and sat down.

"Don't be silly, you always look high class," Blaine replied with a small sincere smile as their waitress made her way over, earning a light blush from Kurt. He was glad the light in the room probably concealed it.

"Hello there! My name is Kanchan and I shall be your waitress this evening," she introduced cheerfully as she flashed each of them a bright smile and handed them their menus, doing a double take at Blaine. She was a very pretty young girl with long soft looking hair and bright hazelnut eyes. "Would you like something to drink to start out?" Blaine grinned as he ordered for them in fluent Italian, earning a squeal from the girl as she replied animatedly in Italian as well and practically skipped off to get their drinks.

"Y-You speak _Italian_?" Kurt spluttered, his jaw hitting the floor.

"Sì, e lei?" Blaine asked, motioning to Kurt.

"Non, je parle français," Kurt replied, smirking at Blaine's astonished expression.

"I think the French language was made for your voice," Blaine said with wide eyes, earning a laugh from Kurt. They began to teach each other phrases in their languages, showing off how fluent they were. Blaine was highly impressed when Kurt told him that he had once performed a song in French when he was a cheerleader in high school, just as Kurt was impressed when Blaine told him that he had once managed to trick everyone at a party in college into thinking he was an Italian exchange student. Their conversation was cut short as Kanchan returned with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. She poured them their wine, her eyes constantly flickering to Blaine. Kurt didn't miss this as he narrowed his eyes, a territorial feeling washing over him.

"Are you and your, um, boyfriend ready to order?" she asked Blaine, completely ignoring Kurt's presence. Her smile was cheerful but faltered as she said the word 'boyfriend'. Kurt shot her a wicked glare; it was if she wasn't even _trying_ to hide her affections.

"Oh no no, we're just friends," Blaine reassured her with a charming smile, causing the waitress to beam even brighter than she had before. Kurt immediately redirected his glare to Blaine who didn't seem to notice as he smiled at the young girl and ordered for them (in Italian, of course). He couldn't be _that _oblivious could he? His glare swiftly transformed into a forced polite smile as Blaine turned to him once Kanchan walked away.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Blaine asked worriedly, his brow furrowed. "You seem like something is troubling you." Kurt cursed the way Blaine was able to read him like a book.

"What no of course not, I'm fine just fine," Kurt lied as he took a particularly large sip of his wine and turned away to avoid Blaine's eyes. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blaine shrug and also take a sip of his wine. As they fell into a silence Kurt took the chance to take in his surroundings. The restaurant truly was marvelous, and the atmosphere was immensely serene and romantic. Kurt felt his cheeks flush at the thought; he hadn't noticed just how romantic the tone of Casentini's was. _Is this a date? _he wondered as his eyes flickered over to Blaine who was daintily sipping his wine. _No, it can't be a date. We're simply celebrating moving in together as friends. Friends move in together, right? Like roommates. Roommates that flirt with each other…yeah that's totally normal. Isn't it? _He shook his head to clear his thoughts; he could overthink their relationship later.

They fell into easy conversation as they sipped their wine and waited for their food to arrive, which remarkably didn't take long at all. Kurt's eyes narrowed as Kanchan approached with their plates, his hand shooting out to grasp Blaine's on the table as she arrived. Blaine's eyes widened at the abrupt gesture, but he welcomed it nonetheless as he squeezed Kurt's hand back. The waitress's eyes immediately zeroed in on their intertwined hands. Kurt didn't bother trying to conceal the triumphant smirk that pulled at his lips as her chestnut eyes glistened with surprise and disappointment. She set their dishes down silently, her bright sunny smile gone as she turned away without a word. Kurt's smirk grew as he watched her walk away.

"What was _that _about?" Blaine asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What was what about?" Kurt asked innocently as he retracted his hand from Blaine's to take a bite of his chicken parmesan. He softly moaned in pleasure the moment the morsel hit his tongue, it tasted _phenomenal_.

"That whole thing with you and the waitress just now, the hand holding situation?" Blaine clarified as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, that? You were leading her on, and she was blatantly interested in you. I was simply indicating to her that her feelings were not reciprocated. I was doing her a favor," Kurt explained with a shrug as he took another bite of chicken.

"How was I leading her on?"

"Impressing her with your fluency in Italian, flashing her your winning Prince Charming smiles, the poor girl was clearly infatuated."

"Ah, so you were jealous." It was Blaine's turn to smirk at Kurt.

Kurt spluttered as he choked on his wine. "What? Jealous? _Me_? No, no no no I just didn't want her to get her hopes up."

"Oh come on Kurt you can't fool me, just admit it! You were jealous of the waitress." His smirk grew as his golden eyes shining with amusement.

"I was not!" Kurt despised the way his cheeks deceived him, he could feel them glow with embarrassment.

"Was too. It's okay though, I think it's cute." His tone was teasing, but his smile was genuine. Blaine's smile grew as Kurt's cheeks colored even more, and he reached over the table to clasp Kurt's hand in his. "Oh Kurt, you don't have anything to worry about. There's one thing that I find very unappealing that Kanchan has and you don't, and it's something I simply cannot look past."

"And what is that?"

"Boobs."

――――――

"Kurt, wait! Kuuuuurt! Let's stop here for a minute. I wanna sing a song!" Blaine whined, his voice a bit slurred.

Kurt eyed him incredulously before gazing up at the overcast night sky with a concerned frown. "I don't know, Blaine. I think we should make our way back to the car soon. It looks like it's going to rain," he warned. After they had finished their dinner, Blaine had suggested they take a night stroll through town. He had drunk a good deal of wine and was a bit on the tipsy side. Kurt was feeling slightly giddy himself, but he had taken the precaution of drinking water with dessert and could feel the buzz fading already. They now found themselves in front of a karaoke bar.

"Kurt please can we just stop for five minutes pleaaaase? One song is all I ask just oooone song!" Blaine pleaded. Kurt rolled his eyes at how impossibly more childlike a drunken Blaine was compared to a sober Blaine.

"Fine, _one _song," Kurt sighed, earning an excited squeal from the curly haired man as he pulled him into the bar. It was fairly dark besides a few colored lights that were scattered around the establishment. Kurt stayed by the doors as Blaine practically skipped over to the empty stage and grabbed the microphone before selecting a song.

"_This_ song, is dedicated to that guy over there by the doors. You guys see him? Riight over there. The one with the gorgeous eyes," Blaine announced as he pointed straight at Kurt with a bright grin. Kurt's cheeks flushed as the other patrons of the bar turned to look at him before turning back to Blaine. "I hope you're listening carefully." He shot Kurt a wink as the song began and he tapped his foot along to the baseline. It was a song Kurt didn't recognize.

_You got curves like the ocean_

_Gonna take it in slow motion_

_Got emotions that'll make it last_

_You got freckles on your shoulder_

_Ammunition like a soldier_

_And visions, ambitions to be the best_

_Oh and Jenny why don't we_

_Jenny why don't we be getting together?_

_I said Jenny shouldn't we _

_Jenny shouldn't we be getting together?_

Kurt felt his breath catch in his throat as he listened to the lyrics. Was it just the alcohol talking? Could it be possible that his feelings for Blaine were reciprocated? It was hard to tell, he couldn't see Blaine's eyes from where he was standing, and he could always tell how Blaine felt through his eyes.

_Jenny's got a body just like an hourglass_

_But I'm taking my time, taking my time_

_I wanna be the sand inside that hourglass_

_Take it slow, oh, oh, gonna make it last_

_Jenny got your number_

_And I've got you for the summer_

_It's a bummer that things go so fast_

_It's been a ride like Days of Thunder_

_But these days have been a-running like_

_Sand through the hourglass_

_And I've been dreaming that we could_

_Dreaming that we could be sticking together_

_And I've got evidence cause every time we turn the corner_

_It's up against the wall_

_And as the rest of the world fades out_

_As the rest of the world fades out_

_I'm thinking Jenny's got a body just like an hourglass_

_But I'm taking my time, taking my time_

_I wanna be the sand inside that hourglass_

_Take it slow, oh, oh_

Blaine was all over the place as he sang with passion and gave it his all, losing himself in the music. The crowd cheered him on vigorously, loving his enthusiastic performance.

_Jenny's got a body just like an hourglass_

_But I'm taking my time, taking my time_

_I wanna be the sand inside that hourglass_

_Take it slow, oh, oh_

_But I'm not gonna take it from you, I'll let you give it to me_

_I said I'm not gonna take it from you,_

_I'll let you give it to me_

Blaine maintained eye contact with Kurt as he sang, a devilish smirk on his lips. He slowly slid his hands down the mic stand as he repeated the line.

_I said I'm not gonna take it from you,_

_I'll let you give it to me_

_You give it to me_

_You give it to me_

_You give it to me_

_You give it to me_

_J-J-J-Jenny's got a body just like an hourglass_

_But I'm taking my time, taking my time_

_I wanna be the sand inside that hourglass_

_Take it slow, oh, oh_

_Jenny's got a body, get up_

_Jenny's got a body, yeah!_

_I wanna be the sand inside that hourglass_

_Take it slow, oh, oh_

_Gonna make it last_

Blaine set the mic back onto the stand as the song went into the instrumental, dancing around the stage and bobbing his head like a rock star. Even though Blaine was fairly inebriated, Kurt had to admit that he was an extraordinary dancer. He swung his hips in a way that was utterly mesmerizing, and Kurt found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the sight. The song ended about a minute later, causing the crowd to erupt into thunderous applause. Blaine flashed them a bright grin and bowed slightly before hopping off the stage and heading straight to Kurt.

"Did you like my song?" he asked with a smirk. He was breathing heavily, his hair was in disarray, and his eyes were bright. The butterflies in Kurt's stomach went wild at the sight; he had never seen Blaine look so positively _sexy_.

"U-um, yes," he stuttered, his cheeks flushed and his eyes wide as they flickered between Blaine's eyes and lips that were less than a foot from his.

"You're so cute when you're flustered," Blaine replied, his smirk growing and causing Kurt's heart to race. "Alright, let's go home." He took Kurt's hand in his as he led him outside and into the downpour that had begun to fall rapidly. A frustrated groan escaped Kurt's lips as his hair flopped into his eyes, and he shivered as the frosty drops hit his skin. The karaoke bar was at least five blocks from the restaurant where the car was parked. They began walking in comfortable silence, hands intertwined as Blaine swung them slightly.

"You should sing me a song," Blaine suddenly suggested after they had been walking a few minutes. Kurt's head snapped towards him in surprise.

"What?" he asked, eyes wide.

"You should sing me a song," Blaine repeated, his expression serious. "You've heard me sing countless times, and I've never really heard you sing. Well, besides that time when we baked Halloween cookies with the girls but that doesn't really count." His expression softened into one of pleading, his puppy dog eyes on full blast. "I sung you a song, now you owe me. Come on, sing for me! It'll be good practice for when you audition for 'Singing in the Rain' next month!"

Kurt was hesitant. It had been a very long time since he had performed for someone, but it was for Blaine and he knew Blaine would never judge him even if he was terrible. Plus he was wet and shivering, and singing might help him keep warm. "Alright fine, _one_ song," he sighed, earning a small squeal of excitement from Blaine. "But fair warning: I haven't performed in months, plus our current conditions aren't exactly practical for singing in, plus-"

"Kurt. Just _sing_," Blaine groaned as he rolled his eyes. Kurt shot him a glare as he stepped back a few steps to give himself space. If he was going to do this he was at least going to have fun with it. A smile pulled at his lips and he closed his eyes and swayed his hips a bit, feeling the raindrops hit his face as he began to sing.

_Doo doo doo doo doo-doo-doo-doo-doo_

_Doo-doo-doo-doo doo doo doo doo_

_Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo doo doo doo doo_

_I'm singing in the rain_

_Just singing in the rain_

_What a glorious feelin'_

_I'm happy again_

He twirled as he sang the last two lines, his eyes still closed and his heart fluttering a bit as he heard Blaine laugh.

_I'm laughing at clouds_

_So dark up above_

_The sun's in my heart_

_And I'm ready for love_

His eyes fluttered open and stared into Blaine's as he sang the last line, a slight smile on his lips. He then spun around, his black to Blaine as he lifted his arms to the stormy sky for the next few lines.

_Let the stormy clouds chase_

_Everyone from the place_

_Come on with the rain_

_I've a smile on my face_

He spun back around for the next verse, walking around Blaine animatedly as he bobbed his shoulders and pumped his arms as if he were an old cartoon character.

_I walk down the lane_

_With a happy refrain_

_Just singin',_

_Singin' in the rain_

He ran towards the light pole a few feet to his left, spinning around it as he finished the song. "I'm singin', and dancin' in the-" He was cut off by a pair of incredibly soft warm lips on his. He stiffened for a moment, startled, but then Blaine tilted his head ever so slightly to deepen the kiss and Kurt felt his body instantaneously relax as he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him back. Kissing Blaine was even more magical than Kurt had ever dreamed. He no longer felt the chill of the rain or heard the sounds of the city; it was if Blaine consumed his senses. All he could hear was Blaine's heavy breathing and the soft smack of his lips leaving Kurt's before diving right back in again for more. All he could feel were Blaine's strong firm hands on his hips holding their bodies flush together and his blissfully soft lips that fit so perfectly with Kurt's. Then he felt Blaine's tongue slide across his bottom lip, requesting access which Kurt happily granted. He couldn't hold back the moan that rumbled in the back of his throat as Blaine's tongue explored his mouth, eliciting a moan from Blaine as well. Blaine tasted better than anything Kurt had ever tasted before, like spearmint and chocolate and wine and something else that was just pure _Blaine_.

Kurt's body froze at that thought and he pulled away. _Of course._ _Wine. He's drunk, _he thought as he looked into Blaine's bright unfocused lust-blown eyes. "Blaine, we have to stop. We can't do this," he protested as he shook his head. "You're drunk. You're not thinking clearl-" He was cut off as Blaine's lips crashed onto his once more. Kurt gasped as his mind was instantly wiped blank. His eyes fluttered close and his body relaxed into the kiss, as if instinctually. Blaine's tongue didn't ask for permission this time as it snuck its way through Kurt's lips, but Kurt wasn't making any arguments as another moan rumbled in the back of his throat. The kiss was much more passionate and needy than the first, making Kurt's head swim and his heart pound erratically in his chest. They kissed for what felt like hours, oblivious to the pouring rain that hadn't let up or the time that clicked by perpetually.

Eventually, Kurt's lungs felt like they were on fire and he had to pull away. He stared into Blaine's eyes, azure connecting with amber as they both smiled. Blaine's eyes were bright with an emotion that Kurt couldn't decipher, but it was an emotion so intense that Kurt felt his body shudder.

"Come on, let's go home," Blaine said, his hand slipping into Kurt's as his smile grew. Kurt couldn't help but smile a bit wider too. Home. It was such a wonderful word.

――――――

**A/N: And there you have it, the moment you have all been BEGGING for. Literally. The songs featured in this chapter are "Jenny" by Walk the Moon (WHO YOU SHOULD ALL CHECK OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE FLIPPING AMAZING) and obviously "Singing in the Rain" from, you guessed it, 'Singing in the Rain'. Reviews are always ALWAYS loved along with some criticism and ideas (ideas are much needed at this point) and can be sent here or to my Tumblr which is the same name! As always, stay tuned and stay supermegafoxyawesomehot~**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I know, you all hate me now and I'm terrible with updating, but I have two main excuses! One, sophomore year. So much work. So many projects. Two, my friend and love of my life Kanchan's birthday was last Saturday (the waitress from last chapter), so I spent a week writing her a one-shot. It's called Curiosity and you guys should check it out! Disclaimer: I own a crapload of stuffed animals, a captain's hat, and an empty aquarium, but I do not own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter 11:__ Monday, December 16__th__, 2024_

Kurt couldn't hold back the groan that rumbled in the back of his throat as his plug-in alarm clock alerted him that it was already five in the morning._ God damn it I am never going to sleep am I, _ he thought exasperatedly as he kicked the blankets off of his legs and sat up on the air mattress that Blaine had set up for him. Though he and Stephanie had already officially moved out of their apartment, they wouldn't be officially moved into Blaine's and Rachael's until later that day. Kurt sighed as he got up and padded out of his room and into the kitchen, deciding to give up on sleeping. He had too much on his mind.

When he and Blaine had arrived back home he had had to practically drag Blaine up the stairs, into the apartment, and into his bedroom, for Blaine had started rambling about how 'so very very sleepy' he was the whole car ride home and _insisted_ that Kurt carry him up to his room. Kurt sighed at the memory as he grabbed a cup out of the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. He hadn't realized how truly drunk Blaine had been until he had attempted towing the man up multiple flights of stairs. He sighed again as he took a sip of water and leaned against the kitchen counter. Drunk. Blaine had been drunk. They had kissed, and Blaine had been drunk. There was a high possibility that their kiss had meant nothing to Blaine, and even if it did there was an even higher possibility that he wouldn't remember it in the morning. Their first kiss was meaningless. The thought sent a pang of anguish through Kurt's heart. He had waited so long for Blaine to finally kiss him, thinking it would never happen, but then it did, and it was wonderful, but Blaine wouldn't even remember it. Which meant Kurt would have to keep it a secret. What if he told Blaine what had happened and he regretted it? What if it ruined their friendship?

Kurt couldn't afford to lose Blaine, not only for himself but for Stephanie. Blaine and Rachael were a huge part of her life now, and her losing them because of Kurt would devastate her. He couldn't do that to his daughter. She had been so ecstatic to move in with their new friends, and Kurt didn't think he could handle the disappointment swimming in her oceanic eyes if they had to find somewhere else to live. His eyes flickered over to the fridge where Blaine had hung up the drawing of the four of them that Stephanie had drawn for him almost two months ago. She had forgotten to give it to Blaine, but as he and Kurt were packing up her belongings a few days ago he had stumbled upon it. Kurt would never forget the way his face absolutely lit up.

"Did Stephie do this? Is this us?" he had asked excitedly, his golden eyes glowing.

"Oh! I'd forgotten all about that! Yeah, she drew that a long time ago. She was going to give it to you when we met up at the park about a week after we met, but we both forgot about it," Kurt had responded with a shrug as he continued to pack.

"She drew it _that_ long ago? Oh my God, I love that girl so much. I'm going to go hang this up on the fridge as soon as we get home. This has to be the greatest drawing I've ever seen! It's so cute! Look at us, we look like a little family!" Blaine had exclaimed, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears of joy as he smiled adoringly at the drawing. Kurt's heart melted at the sight. Blaine truly did love Stephanie, just as much as Stephanie loved Blaine, and Kurt loved Rachael, and Rachael loved Kurt. They sincerely were their own little family.

Kurt sighed once more as he set the cup into the sink and headed into the living room. He couldn't break up their family just because Blaine had made a drunken mistake. He had to keep the kiss a secret, as difficult as it would be to do so. How was he supposed to face Blaine when he woke up? How was he supposed to look him in the eyes the same way, laugh with him the same way, smile with him the same way, interact with him the same way? How could he hide something that could have changed their relationship completely? He made his way over to the piano in the corner of the room and sat down on the bench, rubbing his finger over the cool smooth keys. He would just have to find a way. As much as it would hurt him, and as much as he loved Blaine, it would be much harder to not have Blaine at all. He doubted he'd be able to handle losing him. Blaine had been the only thing that made him feel complete, like a missing puzzle piece had been found. He had been the only thing that had made Kurt forget that he had ever gone through a crippling depression. He had been the only thing that made Kurt feel safe, wanted, loved, protected, truly happy. Stephanie had always helped with all of these things, but not like Blaine did. It was something Kurt couldn't describe.

Kurt didn't notice that he had been mindlessly and softly beginning to play a song as he pondered his thoughts. A small smile tugged at his lips; it had been years since he had last played. No one knew he actually could besides his father. His mother had begun to teach him before she passed, and once she did piano playing became something Kurt only did in secret. He felt that playing was a way of keeping that connection with his mother, and he liked to play when he needed her for advice or comfort. He knew she obviously could offer neither, but the soft melodies he would play made it easier to imagine she could. He had stopped playing all together once his depression hit, and after Stephanie was born he had to sell their piano to support her.

His smile grew as he recognized what song he was playing. It was a Beatles song, one of his mother's favorites. She had always loved The Beatles. His eyes slid shut as he lost himself in the music and played quietly to not wake the girls or Blaine. If Kurt had ever needed his mother for guidance, it was now. He began to hum the lyrics to himself before softly singing.

_Who knows how long I've loved you_

_ You know I love you still _

_Will I wait a lonely lifetime_

_If you want me to, I will_

If Kurt had to wait years for his feelings to be reciprocated, he would. He couldn't see himself loving anyone else but Blaine. He didn't _want_ anyone else but Blaine. No one made Kurt feel like he did when he was with Blaine, and he doubted anyone else ever would. The thought made his heart swell and ache simultaneously.

_For if I ever saw you_

_I didn't catch your name_

_But it never really mattered_

_I will always feel the same_

_Love you forever and forever_

_Love you with all my heart_

_Love you whenever we're together_

_Love you when we're apart_

As he sang he realized that every word Paul McCartney had written made perfect sense. Kurt had never connected with the song as much as he did in that moment. It was almost unfathomable how immensely hard Kurt had fallen for Blaine in such a short period of time.

_And when at last I find you_

_Your song will fill the air_

_Sing it loud so I can hear you_

_Make it easy to be near you_

_For the things you do endear you to me_

_Oh, you know I will_

_I will_

He hummed the final part as he concluded the song, his eyes still closed and a faint smile on his lips. It was nice to be able to express his feelings through song again; it gave him a feeling of nostalgia. He wondered if one day he'd be able to sing his feelings to Blaine.

"That was beautiful," a voice behind Kurt whispered, startling him and causing his hand to fly to his mouth to muffle his yelp of surprise. He whipped his head around and his eyes widened in horror as he found Blaine standing merely a foot behind him, watching him. They sat in silence for a moment, Blaine's expression unreadable.

"H-How much of that did you hear?" Kurt asked timidly as he turned around completely to face Blaine, his cheeks rapidly becoming a dark magenta as he began to panic. Had Blaine heard the whole song? Did he put the pieces together? Did he know how Kurt felt? More importantly, how did he feel about it? Did it frighten him? Disgust him? Was he going to make Kurt and Stephanie move out? Kurt's stomach lurched at the thought as more questions raced through his head as his heart raced as well.

"I didn't know you knew how to play piano," Blaine breathed as if he hadn't heard the question. Kurt's brow furrowed a bit at the intense emotion in Blaine's eyes. He couldn't discern what emotion it was, but something about it was strangely familiar. His brow furrowed further as he continued to stare into Blaine's soft honey eyes. Where had he seen that emotion before? Suddenly something in Kurt's head clicked, and his breathing abruptly ceased. It was the same emotion that Blaine had had in his eyes after they had kissed the night before, the emotion that was so intense that Kurt's body physically shuddered. It was love. Blaine's eyes were practically bursting with love, and Kurt felt as if his heart was on the verge of bursting as well. As he gazed into his eyes Kurt knew, Blaine _did_ remember the kiss, it _hadn't _been a drunken mistake, and his love for Blaine _was_ returned.

He felt tears of joy prickle at the corner of his eyes as he beamed up at Blaine and Blaine beamed back as if he knew exactly what Kurt had been thinking. A sob-like laugh escaped Kurt's lips as he leapt off of the bench, placing his hands on the sides of Blaine's face as he crashed his lips onto his. He smiled into the kiss as Blaine breathed a contented sigh through his nose and tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss, his hands resting on Kurt's hips. The kiss was completely different than their first; instead of being desperate and heated it was soft and loving and emotional. Kurt moaned softly as his hands slid from Blaine's cheek to his neck, holding him closer as Blaine pulled Kurt's body flush to his by his hips. Kurt moaned again, a bit louder this time, at the feeling of Blaine's warm body against his. The kiss instantly became more passionate, Kurt flicking his tongue against Blaine's bottom lip and pleading for entrance that was immediately granted. He felt Blaine moan as well as Kurt's tongue slid across the back of his teeth, tasting him. Kurt thought his knees would give out at the sensation; Blaine tasted unbelievably more divine than he had the night before. With the absence of the flavor of wine, the taste that Kurt could only describe as pure Blaine was intoxicating.

Suddenly, Kurt felt himself being lifted and he found his legs wrapping around Blaine's waist and his fingers tangling in Blaine's curly locks as he carried Kurt out of the living room and into his bedroom, their kiss remaining unbroken. His heart hammered hysterically as Blaine gently lowered him onto the bed and climbed on top of him, one of his hands drifting up and down Kurt's chest before hovering over his heart and feeling his chaotic heartbeat. He pulled back and smirked, gazing at the man beneath him with smoldering eyes as Kurt gasped for air, his long pale fingers still twisted in Blaine's dark hair. "Someone's excited," Blaine mocked; his smirk growing and his voice husky from lust and lack of oxygen. Kurt glared at him before flipping them over with a surprising burst of strength, earning a surprised 'oomph' from Blaine as Kurt straddled him. He licked his lips as he watched Blaine's Adam's apple bob in his throat, his bright amber eyes widening with amazement and exhilaration. It was Kurt's turn to smirk as he dived down and attached his lips to Blaine's in a heated kiss, earning a small gasp from Blaine that turned into a low groan as his hands began to roam up and down Kurt's sides. Kurt bit down slightly on Blaine's bottom lip, making him groan a bit louder as Kurt reached up to undo the first few buttons of his shirt and run his hands over the gorgeously tanned skin. He pulled back slightly to leave a trail of kisses from Blaine's mouth to the newly exposed flesh, nipping and licking and sucking at Blaine's collarbone as the shorter man practically writhed beneath him.

"Kurt," he moaned as Kurt worked his way up to a particularly sensitive spot behind Blaine's ear. "Kurt, oh shit, oh my God." His breathing came out in short ragged gasps as he gripped onto Kurt's back like a lifeline and tilted his head to offer him better access. "Is it too early to say that I love you because Jesus Christ I love you so damn much."

Kurt froze and pulled back abruptly, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth agape. "What did you just say?" he whispered. Did he just imagine that? Did Blaine really just tell him that he loved him?

Blaine stiffened beneath him as his eyes widened with horror and panic. "Oh shit oh God please tell me I did not just say that out loud," he pleaded. His eyes widened even further as Kurt continued to stare at him with the same astonished expression. "Oh my God Kurt I am so sorry I swear that I did not mean to say that just oh God please forget I said that. Let's just forget I said that, okay?"

Kurt felt his heart deflate at Blaine's words. "So you…don't love me?" he asked with downcast eyes, his voice small as he climbed off of Blaine and wrung his hands together.

"What? Kurt no! That's not what I meant!" Blaine sputtered as he scrambled onto knees and grasped Kurt's hands in his. "No Kurt of _course_ I love you, God I love you _so_ much, more than anything. I always have, ever since that day at the park." Kurt's eyes snapped to his as he said this, his cheeks darkening and his eyes widening in alarm. Blaine rolled his eyes. "Oh please Kurt, don't look so surprised. I wasn't exactly clandestine about my feelings for you, _especially_ after yesterday. I offered for us to spend a whole day together, took you out to dinner, sang you a song about wanting to be with you, and then _kissed_ you. Come on Kurt you're smarter than that, but honestly if _none_ of that expressed how I truly feel than I don't know what to tell you."

Kurt felt his cheeks darken even further, but this time from embarrassment. He fired his most ferocious bitch glare at Blaine who was smirking at him. "Well you were _drunk _when you kissed me," he snapped as he crossed his arms. "How was _I_ supposed to know that it wasn't just the alcohol clouding your judgment?"

"Oh come on, I wasn't _that_ drunk!"

"Blaine, during the whole car ride home you would not shut up about your conspiracy theories about how you were next in line for the throne in England."

"Well, I…that's just…I was just…_entertaining_ you." It was Blaine's turn to blush in embarrassment.

"Yeah right, you were dead serious." Kurt couldn't impede the smirk spreading across his face as Blaine's cheeks darkened further and he pouted slightly.

"You're very cruel to me, you know that right?"

"Oh please, you love me."

"_Now _you get it." Kurt couldn't help but roll his eyes as Blaine beamed at him and leaned forward to capture his lips in a soft kiss. Kurt felt his body relax almost instinctually as he sighed and reached up to caress Blaine's cheek in his palm. Nothing compared to the feeling of Blaine's lips on his. Kurt had never felt so content, so blissful, so whole, so downright _happy_. All he wanted was to put that single moment in a vial, turn back time to seven years ago, hand that vial over to his younger despondent self, and say, 'Hang in there. Things get better, look what you have ahead of you!'

"It's not too early," Kurt murmured against Blaine's lips. He pulled back and smiled as Blaine's brow furrowed in confusion in the most adorable way. "To say that you love me. It's not too early, because I love you too." He smiled wider as a radiant smile spread across Blaine's face, his bright amber eyes glistening with tears of happiness and overflowing with love and emotion. The butterflies in Kurt's stomach went into a frenzy and his heart fluttered. Blaine was so breathtakingly stunning, and now Kurt could call him his. The thought gave him the sudden urge to sprint down to storage and personally thank the atrocious tangerine orange chair for being so excruciatingly insufferable, because it had somehow brought them together.

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**A/N: Well, this chapter came out MUCH different than I anticipated (it got pretty heated for a while o_o) but I hope you all enjoyed the result! Klaine is now officially…official! –cue confetti and celebratory music- I ended up not doing my homework for this, but oh well, this is more important! This chapter's song is my FAVORITE love song, "I Will" by my favorite band of all time, The Beatles. Go listen to it. Now. It's so amazingly simple and beautiful and just augh I can't even. Anyways, next chapter is going to be CHRISTMASSS, so I would absolutely ADORE some fluffy Christmas ideas! Reviews and ideas can be sent here or to my Tumblr, which, as always, is the same name. Thank you for sticking around even with my terrible updating habits. Stay tuned lovelies, and stay amazing~**


	12. Intermission

**Author's Note: SHE LIIIIVES! Okay guys, I'm sorry but this is not a chapter update. I feel absolutely terrible for not posting in over...four months (Jesus freakin' Christ has it been ****_that_**** long?) and I felt I owed you guys an explanation. Let's just call it a severe case of lack of motivation and writer's block. I know what I want to write but it's just the writing part that I just can't do. I went from not wanting to write, to just forgetting altogether, to just not being able to write. I try but it comes out so crappy and I feel like I owe it to you guys to write quality stuff. I'm so sorry and I hope you guys don't unfollow this story because of this. I promise promise promise that I'm going to finish this guys, it'll only be two more chapters because I'm really struggling with this but I ****_promise_**** I'll finish. **

**So thank you all so very much for all your love and support, really it means the world to me, and I'm so amazingly sorry, but let's just view this as an intermission shall we? Next chapter is going to be Christmas (a bit late now whoops) and I'll try to post soon. I'm still completely open to suggestions and ideas (which at this point are****_ immensely_**** encouraged) that can be sent in a review here or as an ask to my Tumblr, which is also seethebrighterlights.**

**I love you all, and again, thank you.**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for. Again, I'm so very sorry to all of you, and I pray this chapter doesn't let any of you down. Special shout out to the real Rachael and Stephie for giving me ideas for their character's Christmas gifts! You two are the best, okay? Disclaimer: I own the Struck By Lightning book, a Dalton sweatshirt, the Pitch Perfect soundtrack, and multiple knit sweaters, but I do not own Glee.**

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_Chapter 12:__ Wednesday, December 25__th__, 2024_

"Daddy! Blaine! Daddy! Blaine! Wake up wake up _wake up_! It's _Christmas_!" a little voice cried excitedly.

"Come on, Daddy! Come on, Kurt! Get up get up get up! We have to see what Santa brought! Come _on_!" another little voice cried with just as much enthusiasm as the first.

"The presents aren't going anywhere girls, just five more minutes," Kurt groaned as he nestled closer to Blaine whose arms tightened around his waist, holding him impossibly closer.

"But _Daddy_!" the first voice whined as the second voice groaned in exasperation. Kurt felt Blaine's hot breath tickle the hairs on the back of his neck as he sighed wearily.

"Girls, just go sort them out and then Kurt and I will be up in a second, okay?" he mumbled, his voice thick and raspy with sleep. Kurt sighed with relief as Rachael and Stephanie whooped with joy, bounding out of the room and rewarding the men a few more moments of blissful warmth. He turned in Blaine's arms until he was facing him, a small smile on his lips as he gazed into Blaine's half lidded drowsy eyes.

"Merry Christmas," he whispered as he pecked Blaine on the nose, making him scrunch up his face adorably. Kurt found Blaine absolutely adorable when he first woke up, his dark curls sticking out in disarray and his usually bright eyes cloudy and unfocused. "It's our first Christmas together." A tiny smile pulled at his lips at the thought. It was their first Christmas together as a family.

"First of many," Blaine whispered back, a smile pulling at his lips as well as his eyes flickered between Kurt's. He closed the space between them and captured Kurt's lips in a sweet kiss.

Kurt hummed quietly in the back of his throat before pulling back with a pout. "I really don't want to get up right now though," he sighed.

Blaine chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "Neither do I, but if we don't our daughters will come back in here and literally drag us downstairs," he said as he unwound his arms from around Kurt and sat up, Kurt groaning in protest and tucking the blankets tighter around himself like a warm cocoon as Blaine stood and stretched his arms above his head. Blaine looked back at him and laughed, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Kurt. You can't lie there all day."

Kurt scoffed. "Is that a challenge? Because I'll gladly take that challenge," he murmured as he curled up even more under the blankets.

Blaine simply shook his head at him with an affectionate smile as he went to his dresser and pulled out some clothes and quickly got dressed. He then walked over to Kurt's closet and pulled out some clothes for him as well, tossing them on top of Kurt's balled up form. The man groaned loudly before rolling out of bed and pulling the clothes on sluggishly, for once not caring if his hair was disheveled as he took Blaine by the hand and headed out to the living room. They found the girls kneeled down in front of the elegantly adorned Christmas tree and finishing sorting through the small pile of bright and colorfully wrapped gifts. The tree was a perfectly sized Douglas-fir, not too big yet not too small, and the foursome had had a blast decorating it together with twinkling lights, sparkling tinsel, homemade and store bought ornaments, angels of various ages, plastic icicles, and, with Blaine's influence, bright red bows. A giant glittering gold star topped it all off.

"Alright, girls. Present time present time, open the present and see what's inside!" Blaine sang with a grin as he and Kurt plopped down onto the couch to watch the girls unwrap the gifts. They decided to go light on the presents since neither girl asked for nor needed much, and they had collaborated on each present so neither girl got more presents from either one of them. The men watched with bright smiles playing at their lips as the girls eagerly began shredding off the wrapping paper, excited grins on their faces and their eyes practically twinkling with delight as they showed each other their presents with shrill squeals. The main gifts were a gorgeous music box for Stephanie and an elaborate dollhouse for Rachael. The music box was almost Victorian looking, made of porcelain and a soft pink color. A very subtle taper of snow drop flowers were painted on the lid, and the legs of the box were made of platinum and resembled the feet on a claw foot bathtub. The inside was lined with soft pink velvet, and a tiny blonde ballerina performed a pirouette in the center. She spun around in front of a small mirror while a tinkling rendition of "Once Upon a Dream" played. The dollhouse was one that would put Mattel to shame, larger than the average dollhouse and with enough detail for a miniscule family to live inside. It was two stories, with a spiral staircase, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and a library. Among the other gifts were dolls for both girls and doll clothes, and clothes for themselves since Kurt _insisted_ they'd needed more.

Once the girls were done opening all of their gifts, it was Kurt and Blaine's turn to exchange their gifts for each other. Kurt was on the verge of fainting when he opened the navy and baby blue GG pattern Gucci scarf that he had been practically salivating over for _weeks_, and Blaine looked like he was going to go into cardiac arrest when Kurt brought out a scarlet vintage 1970s Epiphone bass guitar. The girls watched with amused expressions as the men thanked each other profusely, showering each other with "I love you so much"s and "you shouldn't have"s.

"Alright Daddy and Kurt, don't forget you have a present from us too!" Rachael exclaimed with a grin as she interrupted them to hand Blaine a rolled up scroll tied with red ribbon.

"It's from me and Rach to the both of you," Stephie explained, a grin on her face as well as she bounced on her toes. "We made it when Bekah babysat for us when you two went out last week."

"Aw, you girls are the best, you know that?" Blaine asked, flashing them a bright smile before untying the ribbon and unrolling the scroll. It was a watercolor painting of the four of them at Christmas with the title "Our Family", complete with a Christmas tree and vibrantly colored presents. They were all wearing matching red and green Christmas sweaters, and there was even a small Porcelain painted in the corner who was also sporting a matching sweater. A laugh escaped Blaine's throat as he admired the painting, tears glistening in his amber eyes as he leaned it towards Kurt for him to get a better look, tears glistening in his azure eyes as well.

"Oh girls, it's- it's beautiful," Kurt choked out, looking up at them with a shake of his head and a watery smile as a single tear rolled down his cheek. "We love you guys so much, so _so _much."

Blaine nodded as he wiped away one of the tears that had rolled down his cheek as well. "Alright now, come over here and give us some hugs," he laughed as he wrapped an arm around Kurt and stretched out his other arm in invitation. The girls beamed at them before leaping into their laps, wrapping their small arms around each man's neck and squeezing tightly as the men wrapped their arms around them and squeezed back.

"This is the best Christmas _ever_," Stephanie gushed, Rachael nodding fervently in agreement.

"And you know what would make it even _better_?" Blaine asked, a mischievous smile on his lips. "If your good ol' dad here would do us the honor of playing us a song on the piano over there."

Kurt's eyes widened as his neck snapped towards Blaine, his jaw clenched. He had never played for anyone besides his mother, and he was still hesitant to play for anyone else. The time he played for Blaine had strictly been an accident. Blaine was well aware of this fact.

Stephanie furrowed her brow in confusion. "I didn't know you play piano, Daddy. Why did you never tell me?" she asked with a pout.

Kurt blinked at her, his mind racing to come up with an acceptable excuse. "Well, I, um," he stammered.

Blaine cut in with an easy smile. "He wanted it to be a surprise," he lied smoothly. "He was saving it for a special occasion. I think our first Christmas together as a family counts as a special occasion, don't you, Kurt?" He looked over at Kurt with a grin, but his eyes expressed traces of worry. Kurt could tell Blaine was afraid he was overstepping, crossing a line that Kurt had carefully drawn years ago.

Kurt gave him a tiny reassuring smile, causing the worry in Blaine's eyes to disappear and the grin on his lips to grow. "I'd say this is the perfect occasion," Kurt said with a nod as he moved Stephanie off of his lap and stood, smoothing out the creases in his shirt before walking over to the piano bench. He took a deep breath before taking a seat and lightly stroking his fingers over the keys. He felt little knots of nervousness tighten in his stomach as he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and gnawed at it anxiously. He couldn't imagine why he felt so nervous, what was there to be nervous about? He was simply playing the piano for his family, it was no big deal, yet it felt like he was breaking down yet another wall that he had built up so conscientiously to shelter himself. He felt exposed and vulnerable, and he tried desperately to ward off the negativity in his head as he let out a shaky breath. He felt a warm and firm hand on his shoulder, then, and he looked up to find tender loving amber eyes and a soft gentle smile. All feelings of nervousness trickled out of Kurt as he smiled back, his negativity replaced with an overwhelming feeling of love.

He looked back at the piano with a newfound confidence as he began playing the first tune to come to mind.

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_

_Let your heart be light_

_From now on,_

_Our troubles will be out of sight_

Kurt looked back up at Blaine and grinned as he joined in for the next verse.

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_

_Make the Yule-tide gay,_

_From now on,_

_Our troubles will be miles away._

He turned and looked back at Stephanie as they sang the last line, a smile on his lips and a silent promise in his eyes.

_Here we are as in olden days,_

_Happy golden days of yore._

_Faithful friends who are dear to us_

_Gather near to us once more._

_Through the years_

_We all will be together,_

_If the fates allow_

_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough._

_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now._

_Faithful friends who are dear to us_

_Gather near to us once more._

_Through the years_

_We all will be together,_

_If the Fates allow_

_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough._

_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now._

He played a final little outro as the girls burst into applause, whooping and jumping up and down enthusiastically. Kurt laughed as he looked back up at Blaine, flashing him a wide grin that was instantly returned. He had never felt so happy and carefree, and his heart soared as Blaine leaned down to capture his lips in a sweet kiss.

They pulled away from each other just as Stephanie bounded up to Kurt, wrapping her arms around his torso and grinning at him. "That was great, Daddy!" she exclaimed as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, kitten," he laughed as he slid his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, burying his nose in her soft hair.

"Ooh ooh ooh, you know what we should do _next_?" Rachael asked excitedly, bouncing on her toes with bright honey eyes.

Blaine quirked a brow at her. "Next? Oh, no, don't you know? That was all of our fun plans for today. Kurt and I were going to spend the rest of our day doing boring and dull adult stuff, like our taxes," he said with a shrug, barely holding back a smile.

Rachael rolled her eyes at him and placed her hands at her hips, quirking a brow right back at him. "Quiet, Daddy," she deadpanned, Kurt barking out a laugh at her sass. "What I was _going_ to say is that we should have a snowball fight at the park, like in the movies! Stephie and I can be a team, and you and Kurt can be a team!"

Stephanie gasped theatrically as she wriggled out of Kurt's grasp and ran over to Rachael, clasping her hands in hers. "That's a _great_ idea!" she exclaimed, turning and pointing at Kurt and Blaine with determination blazing in her eyes and a smirk on her lips. "We challenge you to a snowball fight! If we win we get to stay up an extra hour tonight!"

Kurt's brow rose as he smiled with amusement. "Oh?" he asked. "And what about _us_?"

Blaine smiled as well, crossing his arms over his chest as he quirked a brow at the girls. "Yeah, what do _we _get if _we_ win?" he asked.

Rachael pursed her lips as she thought. "If you win…Stephie and I will make you guys breakfast in bed tomorrow," she said with a nod, Stephanie nodding alongside her.

The men glanced at each other, communicating silently before nodding at the girls. "Deal," they said simultaneously. The girls grinned at them, excited squeals escaping their lips before they raced into their rooms to change into their snow gear.

――――――

"This…is…_ridiculous_," Blaine panted, his breath coming out in large white puffs as he army crawled up to Kurt who was on his stomach hiding behind a bush. "We are getting our asses kicked by _children_."

"Blaine! Get your own hiding spot!" Kurt hissed, glaring over Blaine before glancing around his surroundings to look out for the girls. Besides them, the park was deserted, large blankets of crystalline white snow practically untouched. Normally, Kurt would take the time to admire the scenery, like the beautiful icicles that clung to the branches of the trees and reflected the winter sun, but he was more focused on keeping a wide berth between himself and the shrill maniacal laughter that he could now hear coming from his right.

"Oh Daaaaddy, Blaaaaaine, come out come out wherever you aaaare," the voice sung, sounding far too intimidating and eerie to be coming from a small and adorable six year old girl.

"I think I'm gonna make a run for it," Blaine whispered, Kurt's neck snapping towards him as if he had just offered to run into a minefield.

"Do you have a _death wish_?" he demanded incredulously. "You'll give away our location! Just stay he-"

"AHA! Rachael, I found them!" Stephanie called out, grinning wickedly at the men's deer in the headlights expressions.

"St-Stephanie, darling," Kurt stammered, reaching an arm out towards her feebly. "I'm your daddy, remember? Don't you love me? Haven't I done everything for you?" He gave her a weak smile, but her expression remained unchanged.

"NO MERCY!" she cried as she began bombarding the men with snowballs that she had stored in her coat pocket. They desperately tried to shield themselves as they struggled to their feet, scurrying off to find refuge behind some trees. Their attempt at escape was futile as they ran right into Rachael, a grin on her lips that mirrored Stephanie's.

"Rachael, honeybunch," Blaine whimpered as he backed away from his daughter, his hands raised in surrender. "Let's not do anything we might regret here…"

Her eyes flashed menacingly. "NO MERCY!" she cried as she also began bombarding the men with the snowballs she stored in her coat pocket. Kurt took off in the other direction, leaving Blaine behind as he sprinted to the play structure and leapt behind the slide. His breathing came out raggedly as he looked back and found the girls ganging up on Blaine. They were relentlessly chucking snowballs at him as he covered his face with his arms and backed away from them, stumbling over his own feet. Kurt felt a pang of guilt in his heart for abandoning Blaine, and tiny gasp left his lips as Blaine lost his footing and fell to the ground. His azure eyes hardened with a new resolve as he dropped down to his knees and began hurriedly stuffing his pockets with as many snowballs as he could. Once his pockets were filled to capacity, he sprinted back towards Blaine and the girls, firing snowballs at them wildly as he let out a battle cry.

The girls were startled by the sudden ambush, letting out tiny frightened squeaks before scurrying away to hide. Kurt smirked with triumph before dropping to his knees next to Blaine. He removed his glove and placed a warm hand on Blaine's bright red frozen cheek, his eyes soft with concern. "Blaine, baby, are you okay?" he asked, tucking away one of the curls that had escaped from Blaine's beanie.

"Kurt," Blaine murmured, reaching up and placing his gloved hand over Kurt's bare one. "I think we're going to have to surrender."

"What?" Kurt asked as his eyes widened.

"It's hopeless," Blaine sighed as he shook his head. "They're too powerful. We're screwed. We should just call it quits now."

Kurt nodded sadly with a sigh as he unwound his white scarf. He tied the ends of it to a stick so it resembled a flag and stood, waving it above his head. "Girls?" he called out. "You win, we surrender. You are the snowball fight masters, you can come out now."

Thunderous cheers of triumph could be heard instantly as the girls ran to each other shrieking "We did it! We did it! We won!" and embraced tightly, bouncing up and down and laughing with elation. Kurt sighed as he pulled Blaine up and onto his feet, wiping the snow off of his back and shoulders.

"We're never going to hear the end of this, are we?" Blaine asked wearily as he looked over at Kurt.

Kurt looked back and shook his head sadly. "Never."

――――――

A deep sigh left Kurt's lips as he slipped the girls' bedroom door shut with a soft _click_. The day had been going absolutely perfectly until after dinner. The foursome had been sitting around the dinner table after having just finished the wonderful Christmas meal that Kurt had spent _hours_ on when Blaine stood and announced that he had to leave for an errand and would return as soon as possible. Kurt's brow furrowed in confusion as he asked what could possibly be so important on _Christmas_, but Blaine had dismissed the question claiming that he would explain when he got back. The evening had gone sour after that point, Kurt sulking and feeling completely confused and infuriated by Blaine's absence. Luckily the girls were too far gone in their Christmas spirit to be infected by Kurt's dark aura, and they spent the rest of the night playing with their new toys, watching Christmas specials, and eating Christmas cookies until they fell asleep together on the couch.

Kurt was jarred from his thoughts as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Thinking that it was possibly Rachel sending him another message asking him when he was going to bring the girls over to pick up their presents, he took his phone out with a sigh, but his eyes narrowed as he read the indication on the screen.

_**New Message from: Blaine**_

He scowled as he opened the message. What excuse could Blaine possibly come up with for disappearing for hours without a single update or clue about where he was?

_**Hey, baby. Listen, I'm really really really REALLY sorry I'm not home, but my car broke down and I'm stuck at the park. Could you pretty please come pick me up? I know you're probably insanely pissed at me right now, but I promise you I will explain EVERYTHING when you come. Love you!**_

Kurt scoffed loudly as he shook his head. Not only did Blaine not offer an explanation for his whereabouts, but now he expected Kurt to just drop everything and go and pick him up? It was unbelievable. Kurt felt a new wave of irritation as he furiously typed back.

**Tell me, Blaine, give me one good reason why I shouldn't just leave you there overnight for abandoning your family on Christmas to do God knows what?**

The reply was almost instantaneous.

_**Just please come, Kurt. I promise I'll explain everything. Just trust me.**_

Kurt scoffed once more before tucking his phone back in his pocket and striding into their room to grab his jacket and car keys. Blaine was lucky Kurt loved him as much as he did and couldn't bear to leave him in the cold alone, damn lucky.

He was practically fuming the whole car ride over, mentally writing a long elaborate rant for Blaine about how unacceptable his behavior that night had been. His speech was momentarily forgotten and his anger slightly diminished as he pulled into the park's parking lot, his brow furrowing in confusion at the sight before him. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, and pink lanterns hung in the trees and formed a trail in the snow, illuminating the park and giving it the appearance of being crowded with fairies. The trail of lanterns began in front of the only other car in the lot, Blaine's. Kurt's anger was basically nonexistent by this point, instead replaced with an overwhelming feeling of curiosity. He stepped out of the car and trudged over to Blaine's car, finding the door unlocked and the driver's seat empty. He glanced around the park, but Blaine was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell…" Kurt muttered, utterly confused by what was going on. It was then that he noticed a piece of binder paper folded neatly on the dashboard, his name written in Blaine's familiar hurried scrawl across the front. He sat in the driver's seat and shut the door to keep out the chill, unfolding the paper and reading the letter.

_Dear Kurt,_

_ As I said before, I know you're insanely pissed at me, but I really wanted this to be a surprise! Your scarf was basically a part one to your present, and this is your part two. I know, I know, I hear you now, "but I didn't get you a part two!" It doesn't matter, Kurt. I'm just doing this because I love you more than anything and I want to show you just how much that really is. Hopefully freezing my ass off in the snow hanging up all these God forsaken lanterns is enough of an indication, but that's beside the point. What I need you to do right now, Kurt, is trust me and follow your heart. Or, more literally, follow the lanterns._

_Love always, Blaine. _

_P.S- I have something I want you to wear in the backseat. Don't worry it's nothing kinky or anything, just put it on and its purpose shall be obvious shortly._

Kurt turned and looked in the backseat, finding a simple black suit and black bowtie. He furrowed his brow at the ensemble, why in the world would Blaine want him to dress formally in a park? He shrugged and decided to not question it as he climbed into the back seat and got changed. After a few clumsy minutes, he managed to get himself looking presentable and exited the car. He hurriedly followed the lanterns, wanting to get out of the cold and to Blaine as quickly as possible. As he followed the trail, Kurt discovered that it wound through the park, stopping at certain destinations. The first destination was the swing set, a red rose tucked into one of the chains and another note with a '1' on the front taped down onto one of the seats. Kurt took a whiff of the rose as he read the note.

_This is the place where I first saw you, the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen as you sat there looking oh so godlike sitting on the bench and reading your magazine._

Kurt smiled at how absolutely cheesy and ridiculous yet adorable this whole episode was, and he couldn't stop the intense feeling of love swelling up inside him. He moved on to the next destination which happened to be the previously mentioned bench. There he found another rose and note with a '2' on the front, but this time there was also a thermos. He quirked a brow as he read the note.

_This is where we got to know each other the second day we met. You have no idea how ecstatic I was that you had actually showed up, I thought I might have been dreaming. Oh, this is also the place where you got mad at me for COINCIDENTALLY getting your coffee order right (which I will never let go)._

Kurt couldn't help but laugh aloud at that, taking a sip from the thermos and smiling as the nonfat mocha that was somehow still warm instantly began seeping the heat back into his fingertips. He then made his way to each of the remaining destinations, finding eleven roses and notes in all. Each destination was in chronological order, the notes stating the significance of each place no matter how small. As Kurt read each note, smiling at every single one, he felt himself fall impossibly harder for Blaine. He couldn't believe that Blaine would go through all of this trouble, take this much time and thought, just for _him_. It was unbelievable and amazing, and Kurt was simply speechless.

He smiled as he finally reached the last destination, the area of the park to the right of the playground that was designed to look like a Japanese garden. The area was fenced off from the rest of the park by a large red wooden fence. The entrance was a small stone walkway with two shishi guarding it, appearing as if it were the entrance to a temple or shrine. Once inside you were surrounded by all sorts of Japanese vegetation such as Bonsai trees and cherry blossoms. A small dirt path looped around the perimeter of the garden, a large koi pond in the middle. In the center of the koi pond was a fairly large enclosed gazebo that reminded Kurt of the one in The Sound of Music. A small wooden bridge connected the gazebo to the dirt path. The garden was easily Kurt's favorite spot in New York, and he would often frequent there whenever he had a moment to himself to take a leisurely stroll and admire the natural beauty. He also went there whenever he felt stressed or worried about something, since the garden had a zen feel about it that was overpowering and unexplainable.

As Kurt followed the lanterns across the bridge, he felt a smile play at his lips as he saw the shadow of a curly haired man inside the gazebo. He felt his heartbeat pick up ever so slightly and his skin tingle as he pushed open the door, a grin breaking out across his face as he found Blaine looking dashing as ever in a tux that matched his own, a final rose that completed Kurt's dozen in his hand.

"Hi," Kurt breathed with a smile as he shut the door behind him. The gazebo was strangely much warmer than brisk winter air outside.

"Hi," Blaine replied, a smile on his lips as well as he held out his hand. Kurt handed over his roses and Blaine pulled a ribbon out of his back pocket, tying roses into a bouquet before handing them back. "For you."

"Thank you," Kurt said, briefly smelling the bouquet and setting it down with the thermos on one of the benches that lined the walls. He looked at Blaine with a questioning smile. "May I ask why you're doing all of this?"

Blaine quirked a brow at him. "Didn't you read the note I left you in the car?" he asked.

Kurt nodded. "Yes, you said it was so I know how much you love me," he said. "But…why? Why all," he gestured to Blaine "this?"

Blaine smiled at him softly as he closed the space between them, taking Kurt's hands in his. "Because," he said, rubbing his thumbs over the back of Kurt's palms. "You deserve to be loved." He looked Kurt in the eyes, sincerity shining. "You deserve to know just how special and amazing you are, and just how much I truly do love you. I want you to know that every day, to never forget it."

Kurt could feel a lump starting to form in his throat and his eyes beginning to prickle with tears at Blaine's words. He felt immensely overwhelmed by just how much he loved the man standing before him, and how much that man loved him back. He simply shook his head, unable to think of anything to say. What _could _someone say to that? Blaine smiled at him warmly as if he understood exactly what Kurt was feeling, which, honestly, Kurt didn't doubt that he did.

"I love you so much," Kurt said simply with a watery smile, squeezing Blaine's hands. His butterflies in his stomach fluttered as always as Blaine grinned that dazzling grin of his.

"I love you too," Blaine said as he closed the gap between them, capturing Kurt's lips in a slow, sweet kiss that made Kurt's heart stop for the briefest of seconds. He hummed and pulled back with a mischievous smile. "There's just _one_ last thing."

Kurt laughed in disbelief. "You're joking, what _else_?" he asked, shaking his head. "I swear if you got me a puppy or something-"

"No no, nothing like that," Blaine chuckled as he backed away until he reached the iPod and speakers that were resting on one of the benches. He scrolled through his songs before choosing a piano instrumental and turning to Kurt with a smile. "I just want you to dance with me.

Kurt's brow quirked. "Dance with you," he echoed.

Blaine rolled his eyes fondly, walking back over and gently pulling Kurt to the center of the room. "Yes, dance with me, as the kids say these days. Why else would I have you dress up? We needed proper dancing wear," he said simply as if it were the only logical explanation.

Kurt laughed. "Yes yes, of course, how could I be so stupid?" Kurt asked with a roll of his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Blaine's shoulders and Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist. They began slowly swaying to the music, which after a moment Kurt recognized as a slowed down piano rendition of "I Will". He laughed and shook his head at Blaine, giving him a disbelieving smile. "You didn't," he laughed.

"I did," Blaine grinned with a nod. "It felt appropriate. That Paul McCartney sure knows his stuff."

Kurt nodded with a hum and they fell into a comfortable silence, swaying slowly with their foreheads pressed together. He felt so at peace and happy, his irritation with Blaine earlier that night feeling like a distant memory. "Thank you, for all of this, for everything," he murmured, his eyes slipping shut as they continued to sway. "I really do love you more than anything."

Blaine simply hummed, but Kurt could hear the smile in his voice. "Don't thank me, you deserve all of this and more," he said, pressing a quick soft kiss to Kurt's lips. "And Kurt?"

Kurt opened his eyes to be met with bright soft honey ones. "Yeah?"

"I really love you more than anything too."

――――――

**A/N: I am actually really proud of this chapter, and I sincerely hope it was worth the wait for all of you. I am happy to announce that my writing funk is officially over. I've regained my mojo and now I'm actually really sad that this story is ending so soon. I finally get my passion for writing back and there's only one more chapter left (excluding the epilogue)! The song featured in this chapter is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by God knows who (I tried Googling but I don't know guys). As always reviews/criticism can be sent here or to my Tumblr which is the same name. Our final chapter is about Kurt's audition for **_**Singing in the Rain**_**. It'll be a fairly short chapter, so expect it soon! This time I really do mean soon. Remember, I love you all so very much, more than anything(;**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Little starting note, let's all pretend that Kurt and Blaine didn't leave their young daughters at home unattended for an extended period of time last chapter, shall we? I'm sixteen guys, my parenting skills are not the greatest. Anyways, you guys all rock for the immense words of kindness I got from the last chapter, and the whole story in general. It makes writing a million times easier, trust me. And may we take a moment to celebrate the fact that this story now has over 150 followers? –insert confetti cannon here- Anyways, without further ado, here we come full circle, the final chapter of ****_Coincidence_****. Disclaimer: I own an iTouch, an apple cinnamon scented candle, and a jacket that reminds me of Dean Winchester, but I do not own Glee.**

――――――

_Chapter 13:__ Monday, January 13__th__, 2025_

Kurt was, for lack of a better term, a complete wreck. His nails were nearly bitten down to the quick, his soft chestnut hair disheveled and sticking in all directions wildly, his pajamas twisted and rumpled from tossing and turning as he had desperately battled for sleep, his pale slender fingers skittish and restless as they moved from carding anxiously through his hair to lifting his mug filled with lukewarm coffee to his pink lips that were slightly swollen from gnawing at them nervously. There were dark bags beneath Kurt's eyes. His eyes that were typically a bright and vivacious oceanic blue, now a dull and jaded stormy grey as they focused on the luminous laptop screen that was almost blinding in contrast to the pitch black living room.

He was barely blinking, barely breathing, his eyes transfixed on his email inbox and waiting for a little '1' to appear beside it, a little tiny '1' that could potentially change everything. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there, watching and waiting, but it had felt like he could start sprouting roots at any second.

"Baby?" a quiet voice asked sluggishly, startling Kurt and yanking him out of his trance as if it had been a scream instead of a soft whisper. He turned and found Blaine standing in the hall with messy dark curls, illuminated by the laptop screen as he rubbed sleep from his eyes with a wide yawn. He looked like a small child who had just woken up from a nightmare and had gone seeking comfort from his parents. "What're ya still doin' up? It's really late."

"It's not that late, is it?" Kurt asked, but he answered his own question as his eyes flickered to the clock in the corner of the screen and saw it was just past 5:00am. "Apparently it is," he sighed as his shoulders slumped. He would have to get the girls ready for school in less than two hours, leaving him practically no time for sleep. Then again, it wasn't as if he was going to be able to get much rest regardless. The previous few nights had been rough, filled with anxiety-induced nightmares that resulted in Kurt waking up with a racing heart and cold sweat soaked pajamas.

Blaine hummed as he shuffled over and snuggled up beside Kurt, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist and tucking his nose into his neck. Kurt couldn't help but smile, a bit of his trepidation ebbing away. He absolutely adored how ridiculously cuddly Blaine got when he was tired. "Mmm, so whatcha doin'?" Blaine asked, peering down at Kurt's laptop.

"Waiting to see if I got a callback from _Singing in the Rain_," Kurt sighed as he reached up and lazily stroked his fingers through Blaine's curls. It was funny how Blaine could make him relax with simply his presence.

Blaine chuckled, his warm breath tickling Kurt's neck. "Sweetheart, they're not going to send you an email at 5am. That's just silly," he said. Kurt could practically sense him rolling his eyes fondly.

"But it's now technically Monday, and they were supposed to email me by Friday." He sighed heavily. "They're probably not going to email me at all," he murmured. Kurt realized how despondent his voice sounded, and apparently Blaine did as well as he pulled back and looked at Kurt with compassionate honey eyes.

"What makes you think they're not going to email you?" he questioned gently, as if he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it out loud from Kurt.

"Because I'm not good enough, isn't that obvious?" Kurt asked with a scoff, setting his laptop on the coffee table and pulling out of Blaine's grasp. The small dose of respite from Kurt's concerns that Blaine had offered was gone now, replaced with the familiar feeling of restlessness, fear, self-depreciation, hopelessness, and bitterness that had built a home in Kurt's mind, chipping away at his sanity from the sheer emotional weight of it all.

"And what makes you think you're not good enough?" Blaine asked with that same tone, and Kurt found that he didn't like that tone at all. To him it sounded superior, like a kindergarten teacher trying to prompt the answer to a math problem from one of her students.

"Because I'm _never_ good enough, don't you get that?" Kurt asked bitterly with a fierce glare, shaking his head. "I've never been good enough for those people, and I never _will_ be. I'm never good enough for _anyone_. I told you that when you first told me about the God damn production. I told you that they always shoot me down, but did you listen to me? No, of course not! Instead you just filled my head with these stupid ass false hopes that maybe this time things were different, that maybe this time I'd be able to show them my 'true potential'. But here's a newsflash for you, Blaine, I don't _have _potential, and if you would have just left the situation alone I wouldn't be here right now getting gray hairs about this shit," he snapped in a harsh whisper, keeping his voice low to avoid waking up the girls. He knew he was only taking his frustrations out on Blaine, but it was just so much easier. It was easier to be irrationally angry at someone else for once than to do what he had become so accustomed to doing, blaming _himself_; getting irrationally angry at _himself_ for allowing himself to be set up for disappointment, getting irrationally angry at _himself _for putting himself back in the situation that he had fallen into countless times before. He felt like the naïve nineteen year old boy who had dove headfirst into the real world outside of the protective bubble of glee club all those years ago with nothing but big dreams and high hopes, only to be crushed under the cruel reality that sometimes your best just isn't good enough.

Kurt hadn't noticed how much space he had put between himself and Blaine until he found Blaine filling that space, taking Kurt's hands in his and appearing completely unfazed by the outburst. It was almost as if he had been expecting it, which honestly, Kurt didn't doubt that he did. As cliché as it sounded, and regardless of the fact that they had only known each other for three short months, Blaine really did know Kurt better than he knew himself. He tried tugging his hands away, his sweltering anger towards Blaine and the entire situation still flaring, but Blaine kept a firm grip as he stared into Kurt's eyes until the older man looked back.

"It's different now, Kurt," he said, earning a scoff from Kurt, but he shook his head. "No, listen to me. I know for a fact that things are different now. Tell me, how did it feel when you used to audition in college? Or when you last auditioned? What did it feel like?"

Kurt scoffed again and rolled his eyes, still trying to tug his hands away, but Blaine's grip remained. Kurt glared at him again, but decided to play along. "Exactly how it does right now: stressful, hopeless, pointless, terrifying, a million other things." He shook his head with a sigh, his anger now replaced with the familiar combination he had just listed. "I feel like I'm walking a tightrope and if I fall there's not going to be a net to catch me and my body is just going to smack against the concrete, and then it'll all be over."

Blaine nodded slowly, his honey eyes soft with understanding and compassion. "That's what's different, Kurt, you have a net now," he said softly as he gave Kurt's hands a tiny squeeze. A small smile pulled at his lips as Kurt's brow furrowed with puzzlement. "_I'm_ your net, Kurt, and I'm always going to be your net. If something goes wrong, if you fall, I'm going to be here ready to catch you. I'm going to be here ready to remind you that you are _more_ than good enough, and that those people are batshit _crazy _if they don't think you're right for their shows." His smile widened as his eyes began to shine and shimmer with sincerity and pride. "You're strong, Kurt. You're so very strong and I wasn't lying when I told you you can do anything. You _can_ do anything, I know you can, you just have to have faith in yourself. You have more potential than you can possibly imagine, and God, Kurt, you're going to go so far," he laughed, shaking his head as his smile became that all-out toothy grin that Kurt loved so much. "You're going to do Broadway, movies, anything you want, and I'm going to be by your side every step of the way to cheer you on.

"This?" He gestured to the laptop screen. "This is just a stepping stone in your career. If you don't get this, which I have no doubt in my mind you will, it doesn't even _matter_, Kurt. This doesn't determine your future. That one little email doesn't determine who you are or what your worth as a person is. You're going to have a million more opportunities, and one day the world is going to see just what a phenomenal person you truly are, and you're going to be so big. This one little show is _nothing_ compared to what you're going to accomplish, Kurt." He rubbed his thumbs over the back of Kurt's palms, a gesture that he knew comforted him, as his smile softened. "Now would you please just stop worrying about this?" he asked gently.

Any remaining space that Kurt had placed between them before was gone in an instant as he abruptly invaded that space, cupping Blaine's face in his palms and surging forward to smash his lips against Blaine's firmly. A startled grunt emitted from the back of Blaine's throat at the suddenness of the action, but he hummed contently as his body melted under the contact. After a moment, Kurt pulled back slowly, watching Blaine as his eyelids fluttered open to reveal large molten gold orbs filled with love and wonder. A small grateful smile formed on Kurt's lips as the pad of his thumb stroked across the top of Blaine's cheekbone.

It shouldn't have been that simple; it should have taken much more than a tiny motivational speech to expel Kurt's anxiety and concerns. He should have been infuriatingly stubborn, shot down everything Blaine was saying, stood his ground, but he didn't. He should have been surprised by all of this, all of those things were by definition the Kurt Hummel way, but in a sudden burst of clarity Kurt realized that he wasn't surprised at all, and the cause of this all traced back to one source.

Blaine. It was all because of Blaine. He had a way of altering Kurt's reality and changing his perspective on life with something as simple as a soothing river of gentle flowing words. It wasn't just _what_ Blaine was saying that made Kurt's worries seem to ebb away and the heavy weight on his shoulders to lessen, but the look in his eyes as he said it. Blaine's expressive eyes never failed to convey everything the curly haired man was feeling; and the raw emotion in them as he had spoken only added fuel to the flames of hope that had begun to blaze in Kurt's heart from his words alone. It was easy to see that Blaine wholeheartedly believed every word that poured from his lips, and Kurt couldn't help but believe them as well. It wasn't as if what Blaine was proposing was ludicrous in the first place. Without Kurt's unease tainting his perception, he realized that Blaine was right, things _were_ different. He wasn't alone like he was before, and he wasn't going to hit to concrete, and it was all because he had Blaine.

He smiled softly, still stroking his thumb over Blaine's cheek, and Blaine smiled his dazzling smile right back as if he could hear every one of Kurt's thoughts. Blaine, the man who had claimed Kurt's trust and his heart faster than he had ever thought possible. Blaine, his motivator, his counselor, his partner, his best friend, his love, the sun to his moon. The fact that they had met by chance only three months prior, a mere coincidence, was almost humorous to think. Kurt had been merely floating aimlessly through life before that moment, never spending too much time dwelling on the future or the past and simply floating through each day in a monotonous routine. But then there was Blaine, his beautiful Blaine, with that bright sunshine-y grin and big caring eyes, and he took Kurt by the hand and showed him that life could be beautiful and joyful. Life didn't just involve a present, but also a past and future, and if you had someone by your side while you faced them these aspects of life weren't nearly as intimidating as they seemed. On the contrary, coming to terms with his past and future only made days a bit more enjoyable for Kurt. Scents seemed a little bit sweeter, sounds seemed a bit more musical, and colors seemed a bit brighter.

Therefore, with this thought in mind, Kurt lost all sense of apprehension towards his future. His destination remained indefinite, as it was supposed to be, but as Kurt gazed into the eyes of the man he loved he realized that the destination wasn't important. As cliché as it sounded, it was the journey that mattered the most. It was the good times and the bad times, the times he would fail and the times he would succeed, the times he would laugh and the times he would cry, those were the important aspects of life that he would focus on, because he would never be alone when he went through those times. He'd have Blaine, Stephanie, and Rachael by his side, and in the end things would always turn out alright as long as he had them.

"Thank you," he whispered after what felt like years of being lost in his own thoughts. He wanted to thank Blaine for everything he had done for him, every single little moment. He wanted to thank Blaine for changing his and Stephanie's lives for the better. He wanted to thank Blaine for loving him. He wanted to thank Blaine for sewing together those last shattered fragments of Kurt's heart that had never completely healed. He wanted to thank Blaine for a million other things, but as Blaine reached up and gently stroked his calloused fingers through Kurt's soft chestnut hair with a ghost of a smile on his pink lips, Kurt remembered that thanking Blaine for all of these things was completely unnecessary, because Blaine already knew.

"I love you so much, Kurt. Never forget that, okay?" Blaine asked in a whisper, his fingers falling from Kurt's hair to his shoulder and squeezing lightly. Kurt wanted to laugh at such a ridiculous request since forgetting would have been physically _impossible_, but instead he closed the space between them and captured Blaine's lips in a soft kiss.

"Never," he murmured into Blaine's mouth, Blaine sighing through his nose in response as if he had honestly had doubts of Kurt's answer. They continued kissing sweetly for a moment, getting lost in the taste and presence of the other as if it were their first kiss all over again. Smiles broke out across their faces as they pulled back slightly, foreheads still touching.

"Let's get to bed now, okay? I have trouble sleeping when you're not there," Blaine said, causing the butterflies in Kurt's stomach to stir ever so slightly in adoration.

"Okay," Kurt murmured, pressing a last gentle peck to Blaine's lips before leaning over and closing his laptop, not even noticing the tiny '1' that had appeared next to his inbox.

――――――

**A/N: God I just, I just need a second here guys, because I don't know about any of you but I can't believe this is over. This one little one-shot that I never even dreamed of getting people to actually read, now a 13 chapter almost 50k word fic with over 150 followers. I know I say it all the time, but really, thank you all for everything. All of your support and love and kind words and just, thank you. I love you all, and I'm really sad/excited to start working on the epilogue. It's going to be much shorter than this, but definitely joyful. I'm hoping I'll get a few laughs from you guys as well! As always, stay tuned, and stay wonderful. **


	15. Epliogue

**A/N: Before I say ANYTHING, I just want to personally thank whoever it was who sent me that amazing novel length review that told me to "take this and run with it.** **dont hide your talent. dont waste it away. its here. you have it.", because you have no idea how much that whole speech meant to me. It left me with tears prickling in my eyes and knots in my stomach, and I have it copied down onto a post-it note and I'm going to write it onto a piece of paper and frame it when I move in a few weeks. I have never felt more motivated and inspired, and that doesn't just go out to that specific person but to all of you that are here supporting me. Okay I'll shut up, I'm sorry I ramble. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the final installment of ****_Coincidence_****. Disclaimer: I own a solar powered dancing chick from Dollar Tree, a tickET TO DARREN'S TOUR THIS SUMMER GUDXDSHG, and a cat phone charm, but I do not own Glee.**

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_Epilogue__: Sunday, June 7, 2037_

Rachael made her way up the stairs, almost tripping over her orange tabby cat Princess as she struggled to hurriedly put in one of her gold hoop earrings. "Hey, Steph?" she asked as she arrived to her destination, the bedroom the two now adult girls shared. "Do you know where my-" Her sentence was cut short and her amber eyeliner-outlined eyes narrowed as she took in the sight before her. "Stephie, are you _shitting_ me right now?" she demanded loudly.

Her volume made the other girl jolt, jerking the sleeping pug in her lap awake and causing her to whip her head around with wide azure eyes. "Jesus, Rach, you almost gave Athena and me a heart attack," she said with a shake of her head, swiveling her computer chair around and stroking Athena's fur. "What are you yelling about anyways?"

Rachael rolled her eyes with a loud scoff, placing her manicured hand on her hip and arching an eyebrow. "Really, Steph? _Really_? Oh, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that we're leaving in less than an hour and you look like _that_," she said, gesturing to Stephanie's rumpled pajamas and wild long black hair. "Is now _really_ the time to be looking at hot celebrities on the internet?"

"But Rachaaaeeeel," Stephanie wailed, turning her chair back around and gently stroking the face of a handsome British man with short messy brown hair standing beside a blue police box. "He's just so sexy, I want to lick him," she murmured as she turned to Rachael with a pout.

Rachael shook her head, half with exasperation and half with fondness. "Come on, Steph. You don't want to be late, do you?" she asked, all edge in her voice gone. "Don't you want to be there when your dad-"

"He's _your_ dad too now, ya know," Stephanie grumbled as she turned back away and continued to scroll through the pictures on her screen.

Rachael rolled her eyes. "Don't you want to be there when _your_ dad by _blood_ wins his fourth Tony award?" she asked. "You know how much this means to him; he'll want us to look nice for it."

A deep dramatic sigh left the other girl's lips as her head fell back against her chair with a _thump_, her eyes slipping closed. "You just want to look nice because your incestuous boyfriend Alex is going to be there," she murmured, an impish smile pulling at her lips.

Rachael gave an affronted scoff in response, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring daggers at her sister. "You are just never going to let that go, are you?" she asked incredulously, shaking her head. "That was only for like, a few months, and it was years before our dads got married! We weren't even technically cousins back then!"

Stephanie nodded slowly, but her smirk remained. "Innncessst," she singsonged, which earned her a pillow to the face as Rachael chucked one across the room.

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"And the award goes to…" A silence fell over the room, excitement and anticipation buzzing in the air like a swarm of honeybees as Rachel Berry slowly opened the envelope in her hands, making the motion as dramatic and suspenseful as possible. Kurt's lungs pleaded for air as he held his breath, his knuckles white and his palms slick with sweat as he gripped onto Blaine's hand. A bright smile spread across Rachel's face as she practically squealed "Kurt Hummel-Anderson!"

A shaky breath passed Kurt's lips and his shoulders slumped with disbelief as the room exploded with cheers and thunderous applause. He turned to Blaine with a wide grin and tears prickling at the corner of his eyes as his husband squeezed his hand with a grin that mirrored his own, tears glistening in his eyes as well as he mouthed the words 'you did it'. Kurt gave him a little nod, placing a fleeting kiss to his lips before hugging Rachael and Stephanie and making his way to the stage. Rachel appeared to be on the verge of tears herself as she handed Kurt his trophy, pulling him into a tight embrace and whispering "I'm so proud of you, Kurt" into his ear. He nodded at her with a choked sob, placing a kiss on her cheek and trying his hardest not to fall to pieces as he walked up to the podium and scanned the audience until he found the pair of eyes he was looking for, the ones that were glowing and golden and beautiful and so full with pride and love they looked like they could burst. He smiled as these eyes met his own, taking a deep breath before turning back the audience.

"I just…wow. I know it's cheesy to say but somebody pinch me because I have to be dreaming right now." Kurt shook his head with a laugh as he looked down at the award in his hands. "I just can't believe I'm here, I only ever _dreamed_ of making it this far. And God, I just have so many people to thank that if I thanked them all we'd all be stuck here for weeks." The audience laughed as Kurt scanned the crowd until he found a pair of glasz eyes that mirrored his own. "First off, I'd like to thank my beautiful daughter Stephanie. If it wasn't for her I'd still be that lonely and depressed college dropout searching desperately for a reason go on. You're the sunshine of my life, kitten, and I love you more than you'll ever know." He smiled as tears began to trickle down his daughter's cheeks, and he felt tears begin to slide down his as well. He then looked to the pair of eyes to her left. "I'd also like to thank my other beautiful daughter, Rachael. She may not be mine by blood, but I'll always love her just the same. Rachael, you're one of the strongest and most wonderful people I have ever had the privilege of getting to know, and it is an honor to be your dad." Tears began falling from her eyes too, then, as Kurt turned to Blaine who already had tears steadily pouring down his cheeks. "And finally, last but certainly not least, I'd like to thank my loving husband Blaine- whose new album you all need to buy next month!" he quickly added, pointing into one of the cameras with a playful glare and earning laughs from the audience. He turned back to Blaine with a smile as he found his husband shaking his head at him fondly. "Blaine is a million things to me: my support system, my shoulder to cry on, my inspiration, but most importantly, he's the best friend I've ever had." A tiny choked laugh left Kurt's lips as he feebly attempted to wipe away the tears that had become a steady stream on his cheeks, and for a moment, as he looked into the eyes of the love of his life, all other bodies in the room were forgotten. "Blaine, the past twelve years I've spent with you have been a dream come true, a dream I never even knew I had. I love you more than I could possibly put into words, but you already know that," he laughed before turning back to the rest of the audience. "I'd also like to thank all of you who have loved and supported me. It really means the world to me. So, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart." The crowd erupted into cheers and applause once more as Kurt made his off stage, silently thanking whatever great force in the universe caused him to take Stephanie to that park on that one October afternoon twelve years ago, the single insignificant event that changed his life in ways he would have never imagined.

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**A/N: Anyone else cry during this chapter? I know I did, which is the first time I've cried during this whole story YAY. Well, as always, huge thank yous to every single one of you, especially those who have been here since the beginning and dealt with my sporadic updates. Biggest thank you of all to my amazing reviewers, you guys have made me laugh, cry, smile, and cover my face and squeal like crazy at your immense words of kindness. This entire story wouldn't be here if it wasn't for every single one of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your endless support. If any of you have any prompts for any one-shots, non-****_Coincidence_**** related, please feel free to send me any in a review, PM, or ask sent to my Tumblr which is also seethebrighterlights. This isn't the last you've seen of me! Now, stay classy, lovelies, and stay wonderful. **


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